Meetings, organising and shoulder physio

Even when I'm away from the machine my mind is on the future catwalk show.

After meeting a new client and discussing a future steampunk commission, doing my dreaded tax return and some shoulder physio, my serial collaborator Tabitha Adams, make up extraordinaire, came over to have a mug of the hot stuff, drop off a chandelier and talk make up for the catwalk show.

I always find it very hard to express my collection without the use of flowery language and touchy feely expression so I'm quite lucky that Tabbie can decipher my cacophony into fantastic make up. I love working with Tabbie, we know each other so well we have loads of fun on shoots and shows. While we were talking about one of our last shoots together at the Engineerium she showed me some candid piccies of self same shoot. This is the lovely Kat, one of my favourite models to dress, snatching a moment to send a cheeky text...

If you'd like to check out Tabbies make up portfolio it is available on facebook I can't recommend her more highly.

Photoshoot at the Engineerium

Today the Gods were smiling on me!

The team assembled at the Engineerium at 2.30pm, make-up completed prior to the shoot by the fantastic Tabitha Adams. Model Kat Lawlor is always a pleasure to wok with, not only is she drop dead gorgeous but her wit and attitude always lift me. Bringing on the hair was Sandy Moo, whom I love working with. She just pulls out the stops, considering I made her job really hard today by telling Kat not to wash her hair when I should have told her not to condition it. Schoolboy error...how am I to know?

Anyway Sandy gave me the mega quiff I was after, I got Kat in the outfit and off we go!

Doug Craib, photographer maestro, did the business whilst I fretted about pulling out skirt creases. Raw silk can sometimes be unforgiving in these situations without an iron handy and I just had to go with it. The crew were a pleasure, all of us chipping in with reflectors and wet wipes. Unusually for a shoot, it was utterly tranquil, by far the easiest shoot I have ever done....which I put down to our team being tight and working so well together. It also helps to work with nice and wonderfully talented people.

I am so pleased, but I cannot show you the results as I am leaving it a surprise until the exhibit at the Brighton Museum opens. You will have to be satisfied for now with my docu shoot shot....

Oh, Steve ate all the cakes by the way...

The Engineerium

Ah, I am so lucky. I have got permission to shoot my Couture Brighton outfit at the British Engineerium - the very Brighton icon that has inspired my whole project. Woop woop!

It was so much more sumptuous than I imagined and I was lucky enough to be shown around by a lovely gentleman who has worked there for many decades. Talking to him was fascinating..I wished my Grandfather was still around, he was a total steam fanatic!

This is Pete, his enthusiasm for the place was contagious. He is stood in front of the water pumping engine which stretches the height of the building and sinks far into the earth.

This next shot is the other end of the room. The photograph in no way reflects the majesty and size of the room. Those Victorians sure knew how to build something unashamedly beautiful as well as functionable.

The outside is as incredible as the inside, it has a lake with carp in it, an overgrown but fantastic garden which will also be fully restored to former glory. The next shot is taken from beside the lake looking up the hill.

 

Apparently there are even a pair of peregrine falcons that use the chimney as a look out post. How cool is that?

Engineerium project

Today I have made headway into my Engineerium project. Fabric has been ordered, sequins have arrived.

I am now starting the technical side: pattern cutting the corset. Today I have made a block for my dress form and drawn up the main features of the structure of my corset, see below:

I always find it useful to photograph my work at the planning stage because it is easier to see fault in the design when it is 2d than when I am actually looking at the garment on stand. For example, on this picture I can clearly see that one of the lines is not flowing particularly well so I will need to correct this at the next stage of pattern cutting before I start making a toille to be fitted to the model.
It is far easier to make corrections earlier on in the planning process than once the garment has been half put together.

Couture Fashion inspired by the British Engineerium 2

In less than a month I have to make this absolutely fabulous outfit for the Brighton Museum as featured in my last bloggy blog. Current status is searching for just the right materials and colours with which to set this piece alight. After I set up my new studio up at home I'll be getting onto pattern cutting. Still designing the detail for the front of the corset, am torn between my love for figurative embroidery and the abstract beading that seems more appropriate for the piece. It is a battle of style I hope I can resolve shortly...