Today, I have some very cool and exciting news to share! I am still coming down off a high from having created a custom themed fascinator for one of our city’s loveliest ladies – Colleen McBride-O’Brien. I was commissioned to design a Goldfinger inspired fascinator for her to wear to a James Bond themed gala being hosted by the Irish Ambassador and his wife. The gala was held here in Ottawa this past Friday evening.
Mandy Gosewich, the owner of Stunning! an accessories boutique on York Street here in Ottawa (where I also have my millinery work for sale), approached me with the idea of designing a James Bond fascinator for her good friend, Colleen to be worn to a gala at the end of October. This would be a pro bono project which would provide me with total creative freedom (the only restriction being that Goldfinger movie references be incorporated into the piece), not to mention the possibility of priceless and free exposure of my work and business at the event. I was totally on board and waited to hear back from Mandy that Colleen was also in love with the idea. She was and I was off to the races.
My inspiration began with the idea of a martini glass as the main focal point and from there it grew to finding a way to show the martini glass with “liquor” in it, James Bond classic references such as a gun, Aston Martin, tuxedo and of course, the Goldfinger movie. I found plastic martini glasses and a small spy like plastic squirt gun at a party supply store. The resin for the liquor part of the martini was a two part mixture from the craft store that hardens to a clear and solid matter and I was able to find a fake olive to incorporate on a stir stick into the resin mixture. The squirt gun was painted black and the martini glass was given a coat of gold glitter on its base and the rim of the glass. The Goldfinger theme was further developed with the addition of gold trim around the base of the fascinator and middle of the glass stem as well as with the image placed at the top of the stir stick in the martini. The black and white fabric used to cover the base of the fascinator references the classic James Bond tuxedo sported in the various films. A black organza wired bow and some black netting with white polka dots finished off the fascinator by adding some femininity and balance to the piece.
After delivering the fascinator (with some hair styling suggestions/warnings!) to Mandy at her shop, I waited on pins and needles for the verdict.
It came on Thursday, the day before the gala. It was a huge success with Mandy and, most importantly, my client, Colleen! I was so relieved and then anxious to see how it would all work out – would it stay put, would it be comfortable to wear, would she like the end result once she was dressed for the evening, what would her husband think, what kind of comments and hopefully, compliments would she receive????
I guess I need not have worried and should have had more faith in my abilities and workmanshi0p because I receive the most lovely thank you note from Colleen the morning after the gala as well as the two photos posted here of her looking just amazing in her dress and custom fascinator. She was apparently a huge hit at the gala and is hopeful for me that I will receive some business as a result of this collaboration.
I am so grateful for the opportunity this project afforded me and for Mandy and Colleen’s support and belief in me and my work. New and exciting endeavours keep popping up and I can’t wait to see what the next few months and new year have in store for me!
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