And the Latest Collection is...

Fairies! 

Yep, after positively basking in the glory of the ballet season here in London, I’ve been inspired by the wide range of fairy mythology. In our ideology, sometimes they’re these tiny little beings of light, there to guide or assist us. Other times we humans really wouldn’t wanna get on their bad side. I mean, just look at Malificent from Disney! (Yes, few know this, but yes, she is in fact a fairy.) 

Bad and good. Ha-kinda sounds like us humans, don’t cha think?

Still, I’m really intrigued by their individuality and their symbolism. So I sat down and made a list of the most prominent fairy figures today, from movies, literature and general fantasy. It came down to these lovely ladies:

The Fairy God Mother 

The Blue Fairy from Pinocchio

The Lilac Fairy from Sleeping Beauty 

Tinkerbell

The Sugar Plum Fairy

The Tooth Fairy

and Titania from Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream

Each of these fairies is viewed today with mystery and the allure of fantasy, yet they  all have such different characteristics!

I’ve been perfectly my pattern making skills finally by making sample pieces first from stretch fabrics. It’s been a great way to test the waters, seeing what could be longer there, of what would look here etc. From this process this gorgeous ball gown pattern has come into existence. My plan is to use this pattern as a template for fairy, the wide fanned out skirt itself acting as a canvas onto which their individual characteristics will be represented, twisted through my own interpretation. 

Asian Fusion Collection

While I’m coming up with the patterns for my hinted new idea for a project, I’d thought I’d go back and fill y’all in one some more of my past work. 

Asian Fusion came into existence when I started to really get into America’s Next Top Model two years ago. Watching Cycle 13, I was really inspired by the female warriors’ feel from the ‘Ninja on wires’ photo shoot, the mesh of on trend style with traditional warrior wear. It gave me the idea of using clashing colors for outfits that take elements of traditional asian clothing, such as the wrap coats in kimonos, obi belts and more. 

It was a real breakthrough for me! Usually I pigeon hole myself into certain color palettes, but this time I wasn’t afraid to use obvious clashes shades. Yellow and purple, blue and red, it was all so refreshing.

I have so many trinkets from my years of admiring Asian culture, so the set was easy to come up with. The tiny Littliest Pet Shop rabbit referred to the fact that it was the year of the rabbit in the Chinese zodiac at the time. The girls all seemed so alive and relaxed in the atmosphere, all melting into the furniture and really creating the allure of this beautiful, enriched culture. This remains one of my favorite projects to date.

Heartbreakers Finale

At last. A project comes to an end, the light at the end of the tunnel-and it’s kinda sad that I just don’t have the same enthusiasm towards each collection by the end of it as I do at the beginning. That moment of inspiration, the sketching of the outfits, what elements really shape the collection in my mind, thats where the most fun lies! I know I should be on cloud nine seeing a month of work realized, but I just haven’t got it in me. I'm already thinking of the next project halfway through the current one.

The set turned out beautifully, though it would be been much more impressive on a larger scale. I’ve gotta find some kinda massive crate or box, something that to scale would be the ideal photo studio for my girls. On the bright side, the cracks in the black marble of the archway really stand out in the picture, and I’m planning to really put that checkered floor to good use in the near future. Also I’m considering some kinda lightning equipment for the future, though the long shadows do give the photos more edge compared to your average Valentine’s card.

In most shots, the girls lounging in the chair came out the strongest. I made tiny little valentine cards, lying on the floor as if tossed aside carelessly, and I got some tiny fabric trim roses that scattered around looked perfect for this scale, like real flowers scattered around the place.

Overall, Blanca’s shoot came out the strongest. The off centre position of her in the chair, the fact that the flowers are distinctive, the tiny valentines truly look as if they’ve been thrown aside, and the outfit was always the best of the whole collection. So it’s great to know I’ve got at least one Valentine card in my portfolio now.

Well, I’m glad this project has come to an end-especially since I already have my next project in mind! Details to come-stay tuned!

Heartbreakers Collection Entry 3

I’ve had the chance now to take my new sewing machine for a spin, and I’m a little hesitant about my future methods for making the clothes for my girls. Machine sewing does save me tons of time, but the downside is that with added seam allowance the clothes just don’t have the exact fit. I was really hoping to finally be able to hem my work, but will need to be very careful with completing more precise work. 

I’ve got enough looks to get cracking on a set, since it’s t minus a week until Valentine’s Day. My original concept still has a very lush and private feel to it-lots of draping and curtains etc, but the feel is going to be more like the girls are standing in the world’s most fabulous walk in closet. I always pictured having a centre piece for positioning them, though my heart shaped bed felt a little more brothel than bedroom, so I scrapped them and am opting for a cool heart shaped love seat with foot stools. Using an old music box, there’ll be a tiny cherub on a side table. Also I found online this gorgeous pic of a checkered black and white marble floor-it’s perfect as flooring, to spruce the set up with that quirkiness I love featuring in my work. 

I’m picturing the girls lounging in the seat, maybe reading through their love mail (dismissively), sharpening their crossbows for cupid duty, even munching on some chocolates sent from secret admirers. Either way, the whole visual concept feels a lot more true to the Valentine’s theme, and to my own design aesthetic.

I’ve started the furniture. Using a technique found in a craft magazine from years back. It basically involved cutting out the individual pieces, than glueing over fluff onto the seat and chair back before layering the fabric over. The legs of the furniture will be hidden from view by pleated waves of fabric. I'm including pictures of the process.