Steampunk Inspiration

I adore steampunk style.

A few months ago I was commissioned to make some steampunk pasties for a music video by Plastique. Well, the video is now ready for mass consumption and I am proud to show you right here:

 

And here they are close up (the pasties I mean)

I plan on making some more of these for my etsy shop in the near future. Also in production soon steampunk inspired corsets with those gorgeous  brass swing catches that have become a steampunk staple.

 

Corsets - the beauty of fan lacing

The fan lacing corset was designed with only one idea in mind : to make the corset easier to lace up ones-self.
There are two notable companies that were at the top of their game in this specific corset design genre: Jenyns and Camp.
When I did research at the Symington Collection I got to see oa Jenyns corset up close, and I kid you not....it was a fantastic feat of engineering!

The things that defines this type of corset is the lacing at the back and how the criss crossing of the lacing between the fan and the corset provides the ingenious ability if the wearer to be in complete and sole control of tightening the lacing without the need for assistance.

This particular corset is made under license by the Symington Company, and is dated 1911. Here is the original advertisment:
The corset sat low under the bust, and provides no support there, and low over the hip - giving supposed excellent suport of the lower back. This model was popular well into the WW1 era when women donned their Jenyns to support their backs as they worked in factories for the war effort.
The corset is made of white coutil.

This is an exert from my sketchbook about this specific model.

The brand 'Camp' was the main rival to the Jenyns and was invented by Samuel Higby Camp in 1908, but not patented until 1921. Whilst the original Jenyns models used lacing sewn into the fan shape Camps featured a metal fitting that allowed the lacing to remain in one length and allows the lacing to be adjusted using a pulley system rather than simply by front buckles as in the above Jenyns example. Later jenyns examples feature Camp's pulley concept.

In trying to understand the way this works I have mocked up a simple short version of a Jenyns corset. Unfortunatly at the time of experiment I didn't have any of the little metal pulleys, so have replaced it with eyelets. At this stage I have omitted the belt tightening because it clashes with the eyelet system. I have used two different coloured laces to show the crossing pattern...it's the geek in me.

 Since then I have now sourced the metal bits I need to create a true fan lacing corset I'm off to do some mor experimenting...

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?

Steampunk Bellydance costume

I love making bespoke belly dance costumes....it's very liberating to fly with a concept and be immersed in it.

Hilde's most recent costume is inspired by steam punk fashion, a strong trend in goth and counter culture presently in the UK and America. It is dark, broody and beautiful with a fondness for formal and military Victorian styling and surface decoration being either alluding to the structural engineering of the Victorian bridge and ship builder and the elaborate decoration of polished internal clockwork.

The steam punk tradition was originally a literary movement, HG Wells and Jules Verne being huge characters in it's early germination. It's kinda alternative science fiction where steam power, fantasy and  beauty are the most relevant concepts.

Hilde had always expressed her interest in having a pinstripe costume, and this was the perfect foil for this project. The whole design had to be pretty slick, taking formal suiting elements that echoed the pinstripe and rendering them with red leather trimming, black leather elements that made the outfit more interesting visually and decorated with some hefty brass poppa's and stud work that echoed the riviting of steel plating.

 We decided to go for bombastic jewellery pieces to finish the bra and belt and commissioned the exquisite jeweller Count Curious  to work his magic. It was fantastic to work closely with him. I supplied him with pattern pieces for both bra and belt, we rivited the jewellery on and I finished the look with hanging chain and some drilled watch faces.

I think this is the best costume I've made for Hilde so far. It's certainly been the most fun.

Amore Morte Halloween Fashion Show special

Its always a tricky escapade to create a 'fashion show'. There's trying to fit in the extra work in an already brimming over schedule, theme, music, choreography, accessories, lighting...and that's aswel as making the actual clobber.
But I love it, pure and simple love it! As soon as my girls are on stage the pressure is off me, and on them, phew! And then its all over...party time.

But, back to the beginning....

My inspiration for this show is deeply infused with the Victorian era, its shapes, colours, artists, texture, character. I am totally turned on by dark pinstripe, herringbone wool suitings, contrasting with brogue leather and bright rich silk with lashings of decadent trimming. I have been scouring costume sourcebooks for inspiration, adding a twist of pure seductive glamour and quietly nodding at steampunk for this collection. It has taken a few weeks to compile, simmer and reduce it down...and now it is almost realised...

The dead dolls poppy, absynthia and laudanum will be brought to life by their nefarious master and her dark magic and be commanded to strip to their fabulous underwear for her evil pleasure.

Hope you enjoy the show...