here are some photos of our muslin for monique l’huillier. It’s a tulle dress, that after the first fitting became organza with organza folds and is entirely encrusted with jewels so that the model’s little “bits” are covered. It has a 6″ horsehair hem and nude duchess satin micro shorts. The jewel pattern on the dress is this great swirly motion…crystals include seed beads, swarovski crystals in multiple sizes and colors, tulle wrapped gemstones and vintage sequins and bugle beads.
another day in studio February 25, 2009
here is what our sr. studio looks like…you can see that I am among friends (the mannequins) and to my left is Jenny Vance’s muslin for the Monique L’huillier project. Mine and Meesh’s is an invisible tulle confection. Really, you can’t see it.
morgane le fay…fitting numero dos. January 19, 2009
I know, I know…photos from Fitting Numero Uno are MIA…got it. There’s a reason…and it’s legit. My first fitting was a disaster….well not completely. Here’s the deal: I made 3 pieces. 1) Pants. I had originally designed silk twill (or silk linen) skinny pants…cute right?? Well Liliana and her assistant Charlotte didn’t think so…They said to make pants that were “not skinny…not fashion-forward”?? okay, what does that mean??? I thought I was designing for Morgane Le Fay, not Chicos…Elastic waistband anyone??? jk….Okay, so I did a slim trouser. they were yuk. With that, I had designed 2) a silk chiffon top and 3) a silk organza petal wrap jacket with a high mandarin collar. Cute on paper. Hideous in reality. It was so much poofy whiteness…my model looked like the Michelin Man. Gross. Anyway…we decided that the chiffon top would be dropped to floor length (Rosemary Brantley has this obsession that is – Erin Seelert + maxi dresses) okay, I get it. I like them too…and my jacket was redesigned into a jacket/dress thingy with silk mesh wide-leg pants that I hated so I refused to make them…so I did the dress…and I’m happy because I designed it myself and Karolyn (my studio teacher) was awesome because she let me do what I wanted and I actually feel like I worked out all of the design challenges myself, which I love. So…
Below are photos of my Morgane le Fay (MLF) dress. White, Lotus-inspired….you get the idea. These were taken at the 2nd (fabric) fitting. During the fitting, it was decided that shirring at the front was not necessary and also the under-layer of silk georgette would be replaced with (yet another) layer of chiffon. This dress has a grand total of 20 yards of silk chiffon. I love it…and so will brides everywhere (lol). The neckline and back will be bound in silk satin organza and the ties are going to be extended to approx floor-length. The edges of the chiffon “petals” are finished with a picot edge and there are no side seams on this dress…it is all overlapping pieces of chiffon. I am also making a petal-shaped “scarf” that will be worn and removed on the runway.
…this dress is for the daring girl…not afraid of scandal…can’t wear a bra…even panties are iffy…maybe nundies would be a good call…
..model try-ons are this coming Friday, so I’ll have pics of the real deal after that. I can’t wait to see it finished. It’s a showstopper if I ever saw one. I wish I could describe what it looks like when the model walks…like a floaty, airy poof of billowy clouds. I heart it for sure.
If I was ever going to get married, I would wear this. But that’s not happening.
quite possibly the worlds most amazing collaboration. November 20, 2008
creative geniuses unite.
Lewis Carroll + Tim Burton = AMAZINGNESS
possibly better than Roald Dahl…maybe.
here is a peek at what one site says “could be” an image of Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter.
I can’t wait until 2010.
I also can’t wait to see the costumes…
on a side note…Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labyrinth) is directing his version of Pinocchio…a dark version where Pinocchio is a bad boy and plays mean pranks on people.
i am elated at the thought of this.
night night l.a. October 31, 2008
parking on the roof has it’s benefits. views of the eastern building @ night and a lit up downtown los angeles.
i heart l.a.
i will miss some of these things if i ever move away.
<3
mattoni water dress October 31, 2008
this is mindblowing. Check out Hana Soukupova in the Mattoni “water dress” commercial. Drink up!
new cards. October 31, 2008
the old ones were hard to read. pretty. but hard to read.
here’s the new look.
monique lhullier. October 31, 2008
Mentor #2 – Monique Lhullier.
Direction: “Deconstructed Decades” – Deconstructed eveningwear/ballgowns inspired by the iconic look of the decades 20’s-80’s. Use unexpected fabrics like burlap, tweed and neoprene mixed with silks and tulle, etc. to create a dramatic look that is “not pretty”. Color palette is ecru, black, medium to light neutrals and army drab (so amazing).
This is the project I have always wanted. Avant garde, very deconstructed + over the top volume and drama. I can’t wait. Since this project is so intense, it was suggested that we work in pairs (that is if we want to have a portfolio…but if we want to spend entire 2nd semester sewing alone instead…we could take that option) I’m working with Michelle Yang (yay! we’re gonna rock it!) and we’re doing the 1960’s…iconic shapes are the big architectural ones…think 60’s couture…Balenciaga!!!
Here are some of my inspiration images:
Vintage Balenciaga + Comme des Garcons = Amazingness.
current Alessandro Dell’Acqua swipe + vintage swipe. What will it look like with treatments and deconstructed fabrics??
plastic washers and snaps necklace + ralph rucci’s suspension dress with bleach painted duchess satin??
fabric stories.
fabric treatments. 
fused tulle. incredible looking. i heart this. seriously. god bless belgian fashion designers.
one of my croquis for week 1. dont think this is what it will look like. this will be designed and redesigned until there is just a reference of this look. promise. I’m better than this. these are prelim ideas.
same goes for the following illustrations…
