Draft Graphic Collage

My graphic collage is a representation of the athletic world and the fashion industry colliding seamlessly, as they do in my own life.  I used images from my personal life that reminded me of how these two topics coexist in my own life daily.  

The background image of my collage is the steps of the Nike store in Milan which has a quote written on them reading “Don’t change your dream, change the world.” –Nike Women. This quote inspires me as an athlete, but also has a person which is why I feel this is a core representation of the two topics working together.  Nike is an athletic apparel brand, which clearly targets athletes, but any individual can wear Nike clothes.  This is an important way in which fashion becomes inclusive, even when it is targeting a specific group. 

I cut out other elements of photos that I felt represented this topic in my own life.  I used a cut out of a mannequin from a Dior store in Florence, which was a futuristic model for their athleisure collection that was reflective and didn’t bear any clothing they were selling.  I thought the mannequins build symbolized an athlete, and the fact that it came from a brand that wasn’t an athletic apparel brand stood out to me. Dior is a luxury brand, but athleisure is becoming relevant in all different brands.  I also included a photo of me looking in the mirror getting ready for a competition.  I felt this was an easy comparison to the fashion world because it looked very similar to photos I’ve seen of models getting ready for a runway.   I also included a photo of a Nike cropped windbreaker I have in my wardrobe.  Nike is an athletic apparel brand, but not all of their clothing is technical and for an athlete to wear while competing or practicing.  This cropped jacket is clearly not a functional garment for athletics, but Nike sells it for the fashionable sporty consumer which is how they bridge the gap between those worlds.  The Nike Roshe Runs in the bottom left corner are another example of Nike bridging the gap between these two worlds.  The shoes were created as sport running shoes, but over the years has become a basic in many fashion lover’s wardrobes.  Finally, I included a photo of what gymnast’s call “meet hair” which is just a tightly braided bun that you wear during a competition. It is another element of gymnastics that crosses over into the fashion world because of the time and preparation it takes for your look that day.  I feel this collage represents how athletics and fashion collide in my life daily, and how the two worlds aren’t so different in anyone’s life.

To create this collage I started by putting the background image of the stairs, and using the straighten tool to make the lines appear straight. I also used an Adjustment Layer to make the image black and white, allowing the other elements to stand out. I then took the other elements and cut them out of a bigger picture which allowed them to be the main focus. I used the Quick Selection tool and then created a layer mask for each of them. Any images that has harsh edges or lines, I used the erase tool at 0% hardness to create a soft edge.