Tuesday, October 27, 2009

sketches

Here are some sketches of the looks I'll be including in the Spring Collection:

It's a bit hard to tell, but the colors will be various shades of sepia, dark brown, and deep purple. The fabric will be silk organza, shantung, and cotten sateen for the pants and skirt. The lines on the bodice and shoulders of the first two looks are pleats.
I've finished the muslin for the first top, and it came out a little different than the picture, but I'm happy with it. It's always interesting to see the real life execution of the ideas in my head. Sometimes they work and sometimes they can only live as a drawing.
Tonight I'll be dying the silk organza shades of sepia. I love to say that garments are "hand dyed" when that really means "a packet of RIT in a bucket in my bathtub." Ahh, high fashion. Thanks for stopping by, I'll keep you updated!

Monday, October 19, 2009

inspiration

When looking for photographic inspiration, I am often drawn to the same types of images.


Another place, another time, a dreamlike land in faded sepia.
A memory that warms, calms....




...and haunts.

 
These are images that really stick with me.

Another constant source of inspiration is the design of Frank Lloyd Wright, particularly his glass windows:


This image makes me think of a specific time in my life when Mr. N and I were just starting out and shared a fascination for FLW's life and work. The symmetry in this window is completely magnetic to me.
These are the images that have inspired my spring 2010 collection. I'm already ankle-deep in it and I'm about to dive right in, because this time I have a deadline and a particular goal. More about that later.

Sunday, October 4, 2009

done and done


...and here we have the finished product. Not bad. A cute fall dress. I ran into a few problems finishing it, however. After I made all the changes I mentioned in the previous post, instead of making another muslin I just cut the pieces out of the dress fabric and went to town. Had I made another muslin I would have found that the adjustments I made to raise the neckline didn't exactly solve the problem. They did provide more coverage, but they were a bit loose and flopped forward. So I decided to go with it. Here's a close up of the finished neckline:


I folded each side over to form a little lapel. While this wasn't my original intent, it adds a cute detail. In order for it to be wearable, though, I have to have a camisole under it.
I also added a ruched sash at the empire waistline that ties in a bow in the back.
Overall, a fun, quick project. Here's another shot:


Thanks to Mr. N. for being my photographer.
My next project is considerably larger. That's right, it's time for a collection! Right now I'm sketching some preliminary ideas and gathering inspiration. I'll keep you updated. Thanks for stopping by!