small town frocks

There are a few things that I really love in a garment… pockets, hand made details, and whimsical linings… this frock has all three. I strayed from my original sketch… which is not unreasonable when working with reLove… you have to go with what works with the fabrics that are available.

The buttons and piping were made from a really sweet indian cotton print that was a much treasured skirt from someone’s summer of love…The halter bodice was made from a cotton blouse that came with the sweet embroidery and pleats… The collar is make from a lace table runner. The corset waist was made from  velvet jeans… one pair was this lovely green that I kept the watch pocket in use, and the back is from a complimentary cinnamon colour… the floral detail featured on the front was lovingly embroidered on cotton by a skilled hand and was formerly part of a pretty doily.
The lining is mauve bemberg rayon and has a wide ruffle of creme eyelet that has been gathered to give volume to the dress’ hemline.

The photo shoot on sunday was a joy and it has taken me a couple of days to sit with the images and try to decide which ones are my favourites… no small task. So here’s as much as I could narrow it down…

Photos: Louis Bockner

Gown: Lara Blackman

Stylist: Avrell Fox

Model: Nicole

Makeup: Tenai Scott

Hair: Avrell Fox

*visit the details page for more information

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Often in clothing design it starts with an idea or an objective… there are needs that have to be filled, such as a skirt of a certain length, a blouse in a specific colour, that sort of thing. In larger companies there are people who’s sole job is to source fabric, they are given a budget and specifications and they scour the global marketplace to make it happen at the best price. As an independent designer I am the person who decides what needs I want to fill and what fabric I’m going to use… within the scope of this project~ the need is to fulfill my creative whims and the fabric needs to be sourced locally and preferably reLoved. So where in a small town does one source large quantities of fabric, the drapery dept. of the local thrift store of course!

The pink brocade was given to me by my good friend Andrea. The lace is from a set of curtains that used to belong to my grandmother. The lining is a particular treasure that came to me by way of a local artist who was going to use it for banners for a local music fest… it was a WW2 silk parachute. While cutting the lining I came across the words ‘dog dirt’ scrawled on the silk… hmm. A google search revealed it to be a baseball moniker that means ‘scrappy’.

Of course this little bit of graffiti needed to be included… imagine jumping out of a plane in Europe with a couple pounds of silk in a bag on your back… scrappy indeed! Which got me to thinking that it was entirely possible that his loved ones were at home in a room possibly decorated with similar drapes to the ones that I had made the coat and dress from… reLove is an amazing thing.

The buttons on the coat are new. Made by a very talented FB friend in Vancouver, Grace Lee from eikcam, who just happens to be doing up some finery for an elegant hotel in downtown Vancouver… how I love this modern age… we never met while I lived in Vancouver despite our being similar ages and of a similar social circle, but here we are connected at last. The buttons on the dress were a gift from a woman I worked with ages ago who was a true inspiration and all round fabulous gal, they are a vintage treasure that I have hauled around with me for the last dozen years or so.

The pattern is my own, and is responsible for achy knees and my strong desire for a larger studio so that I can have a bigger cutting table and no longer have to cut large pieces on the floor… sigh.

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I am a sewing geek… I still use the terms I was taught in school and look for any opportunity to ‘teach’ them to others. I also love knowing when and how they came in to use. On that note, my very favourite garment detail is the Biba dart. Named after the London design label from the 60′s. I prefer a rounded version as I feel it’s a more flattering cut then the sharp angles in the traditional version. This is such an iconic chelsea look that I felt the chartreuse and fuschia colour combination were vibrant enough to be reminiscent of the colours that were popular in the 60′s even though these are not the colours that were originally sold in the shop.

Pink and green is one of my favourite colour combinations. It reminds me of spring and fills me with energy. Bright colours for a bright start to the new year…that and I found this amazing drape in the thrift store back in the autumn… who could turn down chartreuse brocade.

Originally I wanted to do a matching coat, but there wasn’t enough fabric… so pencil skirt with corset details helped use the fabric wisely. I found the Thai silk dupioni in my silk bin which made it’s way to me through family members who travel there regularly.

The chiffon matches the wool I had dyed to make the wig, and the sequins are the remnants of a chain that was used to spell out the name on my awning when I had a shop in Canada’s smallest city.

I made the piping and the gathered ruffle… which admittedly appeals to the hand made geek in me. The advantage to not living less than a full days drive to any decent notion selection is that you have to make it yourself, and let’s face it, it’s so much nicer when it’s made to order. These are the sorts of details that take a dress from custom to couture.

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I was able to retrieve some of my personal belongings in May, and buried deep in the bin of silk fabric was an Italian woven silk sari that I had not been able to ‘find’ for several years… I was so happy I almost cried. It became the focal point of the second month’s garment and the first actual gown.

The bodice was made from a reLoved wool men’s blazer, and features hand made piping made from the bodice section of the sari fabric. Piping is relatively easy to make but does require precision in order for it to look couture.

I originally intended to line the gown in a neutral but the local sewing shop didn’t have anything suitable, but there was a bolt of red satin that matched the piping perfectly… and let’s face it stepping in to a crimson satin cloud is all kinds of fabulous.

The neckline features a peek~a~boo lacing detail in the front that features silk loops that match the piping and the lacing is made from an olive silk tissue taffeta. The bodice is fully boned with flexible synthetic boning which makes it non rusting(which steel bones do) but firmly supportive and lifting while still being comfortable to wear.

The skirt has a built in red tulle crinoline to give the skirt oompf! and make the waistline appear smaller.

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