Talks & Exhibition

LOVERBOY Upgrade Yourself Takeover

Book tickets

FREE

Thu 25 Jul 2024

18.00 - 22.00

For 18-30 year olds

Seamen's Hall

Terrace Rooms

& Screening Room

South Wing

Upgrade Yourself is taking over The Lore of LOVERBOY for one night only. This free event supports aspiring creatives aged 18-30 to make meaningful connections with like-minded individuals and network with industry professionals.

Upgrade Yourself, Somerset House's creative skills programme aimed at deepening and widening engagement, looks to remove barriers and increase representation in the cultural sector, with a focus on young aspiring and emerging creative talent.

Your free ticket to the takeover gives you access to:

After-hours entry to The Lore of LOVERBOY, the first exhibition on international fashion powerhouse Charles Jeffrey LOVERBOY, celebrating 10 years of club to catwalk in 2024.
The chance to get creative and involved in a crafts-based workshop with multi-disciplinary artist and designer, Clara Chu. Join her for a unique up-cycling experience where you’ll transform discarded household and industrial items into stylish accessories by reimagining the concept of a bag.
An insightful talk on the art of fashion design, led by three experienced tutors from Central Saint Martins: Charles Jeffrey, Stephanie Cooper, and Joshua Beaty. Drawing from our extensive experience teaching at one of the world's leading fashion schools, we will explore effective approaches to creative work.
An exhibition tour with Charles Jeffrey, that will delve into the creative process and stories behind the show.
The Upgrade Yourself Social – with a medley of perfectly curated tunes from the Adonis and Dalston Superstore resident J. ARIA who will soundtrack the night.

Grab a free drink at the bar, meet likeminded creatives as part of our networking activations and chat to industry experts to find out more about working in the creative sector.

Programme

18.30-21.30 – Workshop with Clara Chu – Seamen’s Hall
18.00-22.00 – Free entry to The Lore of LOVERBOY – Terrace Rooms
19.00-20.00 – Unlocking Creative Potential: Approaching Fashion Design with Proven Methods – Screening Room
20.30-21.15 – Exhibition tour of The Lore of LOVERBOY with Charles Jeffrey - Terrace Rooms

(Please note that the talk and tour are not bookable, but attendees can sign up on the day when they arrive to ensure they get a space. Capacity is limited.)

Unlocking Creative Potential: Approaching Fashion Design with Proven Methods

Join us for an insightful talk on the art of fashion design, led by three experienced tutors from Central Saint Martins: Charles Jeffrey , Stephanie Cooper, and Joshua Beaty. Drawing from our extensive experience teaching at one of the world's leading fashion schools, we will explore effective approaches to creative work.

Our discussion will focus on three fundamental paradigms of design:

1. Research: Learn how to gather and interpret information in various ways, (primary and secondary) that can inspire and inform your creative process.
2. Development: Discover methods to refine and evolve your ideas, turning initial concepts into viable designs.
3. Outcome: Understand the journey from concept to final product, ensuring your design vision is realized effectively and how you can present it to justify all the work you have put in.

We will share real-life examples of students we have mentored, illustrating how these paradigms can be successfully applied. Additionally, we will delve into the practice of drawing from life, offering various techniques to capture the world around you and integrate these observations into your design work.

Whether you are a budding fashion designer or a seasoned professional, this talk will provide valuable insights and practical strategies to enhance your creative process. Don't miss this opportunity to learn from the experts and elevate your design practice.

Household Treasures: No-Sew Bag Workshop with Clara Chu

Join handbag designer and artist Clara Chu for a unique up-cycling experience at Somerset House’s Upgrade Yourself Takeover. In this workshop, you will transform discarded household and industrial items into stylish accessories by reimagining the concept of a bag. Participants will creatively repurpose materials from their homes and waste provided by the designer and the Somerset House community, learning deconstruction and construction techniques to craft ‘bag forms’ without sewing.

Clara will showcase some of her handcrafted bags and demonstrate various binding techniques. Participants can then practice these techniques to create their own ‘quick-bind bags.’ A variety of household objects, such as toothbrushes, shower mats, and electric cables, will be available for use. Participants are also encouraged to bring their own no-longer-wanted household items, like cleaning gloves, kitchen sponges, hair rollers, and clips, to incorporate into their creations. Throughout the workshop, attendees will have the opportunity to learn about Clara’s design processes and ask questions. Join us for a sustainable journey of reinventing the ordinary and making the most of limited resources.

10 recommended categories of objects from home to gather:

Toothbrushes
Broken parts of electronics: cables, plugs, earphones, game controllers
Home recycling: cereal boxes, crisp packets, cardboard food packaging, shoe boxes, disposable cutleries
Old toys: board games, card games, assorted components from board games, stuffed animals
Old books, magazines, children’s books, greetings cards - Sponges: kitchen/ shower/ make up)
Textiles: old jeans, curtains, table cloths, socks, old clothes, gloves (mittens, oven gloves, gardening gloves, sports gloves), micro fibre cleaning cloths, cushions, blankets, carpets, bedsheets, towels
Strings: ropes, shoe laces, bungee cords, embroidery threads, chains
Clips: paper clips, bulldog clips, laundry pegs
Food storage: Biscuit tins, Tupperware containers, reusable water bottles

Clara Chu is a London-based multidisciplinary artist and designer whose namesake brand specialises in fashion accessories that redefine the ordinary. Clara’s work uniquely blends everyday domestic mundanity with vibrant pop art, transforming discarded household items like mops, toasters, and toothbrushes into wearable accessories. By merging mass production with hand-craftsmanship, she creates visionary products that challenge conventional fashion norms, advocate for change, and promote awareness about waste through education.

J.Aria

J.Aria (they/them) is a queer vocalist, composer and DJ making serious waves in the queer underground. Their work as a musician across diverse genres and projects has one common element – a palpable passion for unearthing lost queer histories and bringing them searingly to life.

ACCESS INFORMATION

Our ambition is to make this event accessible to everyone, but we know there is work to do!

The Upgrade Yourself Takeover will take place in Seamen's Hall, Screening Room and Terrace Rooms at Somerset House (South Wing). The spaces are accessible to wheelchair users and there is an accessible toilet close by. There will also be a quiet space and access packs available.

If you would like more information or to request specific access support, please email engagement@somersethouse.org.uk prior to arriving.

We are constantly working towards making our events more accessible, if you have any feedback on how we can improve. Please let us know!

Find out more about accessibility at Somerset House here.

ACCESS PACKS
For the Takeover, you'll be able to borrow Access Packs from the Visitor Experience team, these will be available at the LOVERBOY exhibition entrance. These will contain large print guides, noise cancelling headphones, a copy of the visual story, a document detailing what you can expect navigating your way to the event, and a stress ball.

Discover The Lore of LOVERBOY

Explore the fashion designer radically ripping up the fashion rulebook.