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What’s a Party Without a New Dress?!

January 20, 2012 By kym Leave a Comment

This dress was created by me to be worn to the 10th anniversary party for my church, Capital City Bikers Church in Ottawa.  I felt this milestone of Biker’s Church demanded something special and fun. Regardless of whether anyone else was dressing up, it was a party and to me parties of that kind of importance could mean only one thing…… Party Dress!

I was inspired by Tim Burton’s use of black and white, Betsey Johnson’s infamous party dresses as well as an amazing book from designer Mary Adams called The Party Dress.  She does amazing work and her book and overall beliefs instill in me a sense of fun, individuality and daring.

This design is titled Black Rose. The “dress” actually consists of a corset, underskirt and overskirt.

The corset is made from a heavy black and white striped satin, is fully lined and contains coiled steel boning.  It laces up the back with grommets and black satin ribbon. I am very skilled at corset/bustier creation and would be most interested in more custom work in this area, especially for you curvier gals out there!

The under skirt was created from a thrift store find – a full black taffeta skirt,which I shortened and made fuller and more “rustley”  (that sound is so feminine and betwitching to me!) with layered tulle underneath.  A panel of sheer black velvet skull and roses glitter fabric over white fabric was then placed on top of the center front of the black skirt.

The last layer, the over skirt, is also a thrift store find – a floor length, shocking pink, silk ball skirt.  The ball skirt has been made shorter by using ruching, pick ups and a bustle in the back.  Silk is one of my favourite fabrics to work with.  It is luxurious, comes in different textures and hands, is a dream to sew and the myriad of available colours is endless.

Embellishments in the skirts include the addition of black lace to the skull and roses panel hemline, black lace and organza trim to the entire hemline of the pink silk skirt, black velvet ribbon bows and ribbon roses, black beading, black satin bows at the side of the silk skirt and skeleton hands “holding up” the side pick ups on the silk skirt.

This outfit was very satisfying for me to make as it incorporated the best of both worlds – making a new garment from the ground up (the corset) and combining it with two upcycled garments (the two skirts).  I can’t wait to wear it to the party this Saturday night (Jan 21st) and see what kind of response I get.  Positive or negative, I will feel like the belle of the ball that night and will enjoy every minute of the evening.  Well, at least until the clock strikes midnight.  Oh well, on to the next event/project then!

 

Filed Under: "Me" Thoughts & Inspirations

Mad Max meets Victoriana

January 12, 2012 By kym Leave a Comment

Lately, I have been very inspired by the steampunk genre and have been itching to create something garment wise  in that direction.  I also recently read a book titled The Secret Journal of Mina Harker, which as some of you may know was the heroine or female lead character in Bram Stoker’s Dracula.  The clothing of that period is so lush and romantic and when I stumbled upon a steampunk/Victorian styled pattern by Simplicity, I knew I just had to make it.

As I was working on the outfit, I started thinking it would be cool to do a photo shoot…..a steampunk inspired shoot…..in a wrecking or auto salvage yard! I knew I had the perfect photographer – my tried and true fellow artist, Rob Leonardo of Robart Photography… now I just had to find the location.

I researched companies online in the Ottawa area and found Union Auto Parts….a mere 5 minute drive from my house!  Well, 5 mins when you don’t get lost because you take the wrong turn…  Anyways, I got Rob on board (and super excited too!) and set everything up with the auto yard for a Saturday afternoon in November.

All I needed to do  now was finish my sewing….and make an amazing hat to add more drama to the photos….with a really long and full train of black tulle/netting attached to blow in the wind.  I also decided to pick up a cheap Dollar Store black umbrella and “destroy” it.  This, with the hat, added just the right dose of Tim Burton (my favourite movie maker and director) to the whole ensemble.

The photo shoot was just incredible.  It was a grey day (thankfully the rain held off) and lighting for the effect we wanted to capture was perfect.  There was also just enough wind to blow my veil around for some amazing shots.  We pretty much had the place to ourselves and the gents who run the place were content to let us do whatever and go wherever we wanted.

Rob and I work immensely well together and seem to be cut from the same cloth (pun intended!) where vision, individuality and fearlessness are concerned.  I can’t wait for our next meeting of the hearts and minds!  I have a few ideas brewing in the always bubbling cauldron called my mind……dare I say, cemetary!

I have placed a few photos from the shoot in this post for you to take in and if you’d like to see the rest of the culmination of our efforts, please go to Rob’s website at http://www.robartphotography.ca/Client-Proofs/Bombshell-Revival-Fashion/20214629_sJtwbJ#!i=1603419009&k=2vW2VkH .

Enjoy!

Filed Under: "Me" Thoughts & Inspirations, Collaboration

The Untouchable Within Reach!

January 12, 2012 By kym Leave a Comment

This past summer, I had the privilege and honour of being able to attend the Jean Paul Gaultier exhibit in Montreal!  All of his iconic creations and statements through fashion were in front of me….a veritable feast for my eyes!  Around every corner there was a new piece that evoked gasps, heart racing and extreme emotional response from me.  Some of the very pieces I had seen in magazines and on televised runway shows were right there in front of me!  I was able to lean in and examine every stitch, every bead, every feather, every painstaking detail so close that my hands itched to reach out and complete my experience by touching….which I, of course, would never have the disrespect or dishonour to do. I couldn’t even allow myself to take photos of the exhibit because….well, it just felt “wrong” somehow to me.

I could never have thought in all my wildest dreams that I would ever get to have this amazing and up close look at such genius and  no boundaries approach to fashion as an artform.  I am forever changed and affected by this experience.

Jean Paul Gautier has always been a hero and role model to me.  He is on my list as one of my forever favourite designers.  He knows no limits, breaks all kinds of “rules” where beauty and gender are concerned, seeks inspiration from the street and culture and does not know the meaning of the word “no”. My kind of people.

I have included but a few of the highlights from the exhibit and I encourage you to discover more about him and his life’s work to date.

Filed Under: "Me" Thoughts & Inspirations

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