Busy Busy Busy !

So it has been quite a while since my last blog post, however it is all in good reason! I have spent this summer working hard at making every women's special day the best! I have altered countless bridal, bridesmaid, mother of the bride, flowergirl and guests gowns and outfits and have constructed many outfits with the happy outcome of smiling clients! The shop is expanding and we are doing increasingly well and we also have a lot of exciting events coming up!

Here is a select few which I have constructed!!

Off course there is always much more to come!! Also with just about to start my final year of uni many updates on my final collection to come!! 

Agatha Ruiz de la Prada

Surrealism in Fashion has been a continuous development since the 1920's. With Elsa Schiaparelli being one of the first to combine these two concepts together, she was able to make her stamp in fashion and have many followers, who would alter and adapt her take on surrealist fashion. I am extremely fascinated with what can be achieved and how the boundaries of fashion can be adapted. One designer who has taken full advantage of this is  Agatha Ruiz de la Prada. Her work is avant garde brilliance! A clear use of surrealism inspiration and pure garment construction quality makes this collection an amazing success! 

One of which I am truly bewildered with!

Work Uniform !

Recently I had to design and construct my own uniform! Things like this is why I love my job! We decided on purple for the colour and 50's as the theme, as we love flattery of a full skirt with a clinched in waist.

50's Style Wool Dress. With a high neckline, clinched waist and full skirt to hide the hips and thighs, this dress is perfectly flattering!

A Ribbon Strap back to create a bow, adds something different to the classic style and looks great when balanced with the front neckline.

50's Style Panelled Wool Dress with a cut out neckline and 1 piece cap sleeves. I used the same pattern for the skirt as the first dress, however decided a mix up to show the clients my technical skills was needed for the bodice. We have had a lot of fantastic feedback and interest with this dress!

The Back of The dress is the same idea as the front, however I mixed up the style lines. When worn the flattery of the panelling to seam you in and the clinching waist and skirt is all achieved.

 At my work we will be making our own uniform's every season now and I am already thinking up designs for S/S12 !! Exciting!

Divergent Thinking

A fantastic project where I learnt alot! My class and I were tasked with constructing a floor length dress without the use of a sewing machine or designs. At first it was rather daunting. We were given 3 different fabrics and a mannequin.... GO!
I began just playing with the fabric to get a feel of it and see how it draped and shaped around and off the mannequin. As there was no sewing machine aloud, I decided to take a trip to B&Q (looking rather out of place) and collect some hinges, chains, safety pins and other bits and bobs. We were able to use hand sewing methods, which I did to secure the hinges and chains into place.
Once I got my basic foundation, it seemed the dress was missing depth. I then knitted a centre front panel to accent the dress, which looked perfect with the dress!
Finally to create more shape I added a chain entwined belt. I also applied a method used in bridal gowns, where you stitch a ribbon tie and a ribbon loop underneath the dress in certain sections. I then tied them together to create a lift throughout the dress and give a more interesting look!

It was a fantastic learning curve and I would advise anyone with a mannequin and some fabric lying around, give it a go and you will be amazed in what you come up with!