Etc Magazine East Sussex August 2012 Issue

A few weeks ago I was prattling on about a photo shoot with Emma Meston that I was really excited to be a part of. Well, the results are very pleasing and just this morning I received a CD of images from Emma. Thanks babe.X

The shoot was part of a bridal spread for etc magazine, and I was pleased to find out that I got a whole page of corsets all to myself, woop woop! Here is the PDF link if you would like to check it out, skip to page 140 for the good stuff:

 http://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/launch.aspx?referral=mypagesuite&pnum=&refresh=3Tr1m0Y7Kf80&EID=5bc18899-9383-4ae4-ad65-f01531af3d62&skip=

Although I must admit that it was a shame I wasn't in the room to have noticed the cheeky suspender that had come unhooked for the photoshoot. Oops.

But here are some more very cool images from the shoot that didn't make it to the final cut for the magazine but I think are marvelous so here they are...

Photographer: Emma Meston
Make up and Hair Styling: Charlene Everest and Am Prifti
Models: Grace  and Celine Mailland
Wardrobe and styling: Curve Couture

Corset culture: Kylie

Today a friend posted a video of Kylie Minogue's 'Get Outta My Way' on my face book wall :check out the gold corset. So I did. It was just the thing I needed today....some inspiration on a magnificent scale. Have a look, it's amazing.

 And because I'm so lovely to you all I thought I would share my favourite Kylie corsets with you.

This Mr Pearl number has a special place in my heart because I was asked to re-create it for a friend of mine for her 40th birthday. Mr Pearl is also one of my corset hero's. I think that Mr Pearl has made quite a few of Kylie's tour corsets including a pink version of the showgirl corset. The beauty of the corset is that it is so tight to the body that you can load it with gems and crystals and feathers and it is strong enough to take the load.

Kylie has also had some amazing corsets from other illustrious Haute Couture Designers, this one is from Jean Paul Gaultier...

And finally back to a beautiful gold number by New York based designers The Blonds.

Naughty knickers

Today I have been writing for Cliterati all about kinky knickers. I've been trawling the internet and trying to bring the best of the best in naughty undies into one little article, and it got me thinking...

I have just designed a range of knickers and baby dolls for awesome lingerie online retailer Miss Venga which will shortly be going into production. But having an in depth look at what is available in this market has really opened my eyes to it's potential. Quite frankly, and possibly because I'm a bit vanilla, I had overlooked the kinky knicker markets out of snobbery and I had honestly not realised just how beautiful and interesting some of the designs are.

I will ponder on this new opportunity. Even if it goes no further into product creation it is certainly worth a ponder time.

Logo design

Multi talented me is occasionally asked to design logo's. Today I have been thinking about designs for a company called Miss Venga, with whom I recently designed a range of cheeky knickers and baby dolls...due out sometime later this year. After some prelim drawings that stay neatly tucked up in my sketchbook I have expanded on one idea which I am really liking:

 I really love drawing, it's really the first thing I was any ever good at. I would steal some paper from my Dad's office, sit at the kitchen table and draw ladies in big dresses. My Gran was always asking me to draw her pretty ladies and I was happy to oblige. I have never lost the ability to put things in my mind onto paper, and now I am also lucky to be able to make most of those idea's into reality.

Beadilicious Bellydance

Hi All!

Today I'm back with belly dance costumery for the amazing Hilde Cannoodt, who today is flying into the country for her fitting (and maybe a little rest) then jetting off again. Oh, the life of an international belly dance star!

If you would like to see how this costume was coming along from last time please see the Shimmy shimmy Shake those hips blog. I know I jump around a bit with my posts but that is because I am usually working on at least five projects all at once.

This is where we stand with Hilde's latest costume, which has been made from her mothers wedding dress. I'm still playing with some of the design elements and there is still loads more sparkle to add but the ground work is nearly all done.

Lace overlay wedding dress

Today I have been working on lace wedding dresses. I have been carefully hand sewing the border onto the hem of the dress. It's the final thing I have to do to this dress and so far it has taken me all morning :  because the hem has a shape to it the lace has to be cut and manipulated into position.

Results so far:

 

I've done a couple of  wedding dresses with complete lace overlays this year, and I thought I'd have a look back through my work archive and revisit some of the lace garments I have made in the past. 

Fricking tired

I keep finding myself having to write this blog near midnight...just after I finish sewing. So, seeing as this is so, it's going to be short and sweet tonight.

This evening I have returned to making lingerie samples and timing how long it takes to make them from scratch. I've recently found out that the photo shoot for said samples won't be until August or September but the process continues nonetheless. It's so hard trying to be creative with design when your budget and manufacturing time is under such restraint. Oh well, few and far between are the types of projects where you can really let loose!

Except....when they are just for meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

Actually, that is a bit far fetched, they are actually for the company and it's website. My website is definitely in need of some more photos.

Also today I saw Alice Hayward, one of my beautiful models, to fit the red dress to her fit bod and test out a new corset with built in bra cups that I have been developing. Now that is something to get excited about.

And Riley goes to nursery for the very first time tomorrow morning. Wish us luck.

Red: The colour of passion

Today I have returned to a project I have had to set aside for some time whilst client work was all consuming. But I am planning a new photo shoot with this dress so I had better finish it quick smart!

My dress is actually a corset and skirt in matching fabric, and today I have been putting in the net skirt and the mini corset in the waist of the skirt. It's influenced heavily by the bata de cola which is a style of skirt commonly used in flamenco dress.

The bata de cola is characterised by it's layers of frills which usually start at or below the knee, it has an inbuilt fishtail or train and it is figure hugging over the hips and sometimes to the knee also. There are lost of differing variations upon this theme but the main emphasis on the tightness of the skirt to the knee is to exaggerate and emphasize flamenco movement.

Like so!

Style editor... Moi?

I have just written my first style article for online magazine www.cliterati.co.uk .
Here it is: http://www.cliterati.co.uk/2012/07/pin-up-parlour-the-classics/
That is all for today I am done in.

Photoshoot: Rachael-emily and Lisa-Marie

In the last few months I have met some amazing people whilst out and about doing fashion shows and shoots and suchlike.

When I was looking for models for my show at London Alternative Fashion catwalk show I got lots of applications...one of the ladies I picked was Lisa-Marie who I instantly thought would look amazing in my corsets. So when she asked me if she could borrow some clothes for a shoot I was happy to oblige.

Model: Lisa Marie (MM #1464691)
Photographer: Rachael-emily.com
Make-up/Hair: Betty-Lou
Clothing: Curve Couture

Results: 

Tulle Couture

Recently I have found a new love for tulle.

Last month I designed and made a vintage styled lilac prom dress with a gathered tulle overlay. My first ever impression of tulle was as the classic ballet tutu,

And although I have created a few dresses with tulle overlays before, this particular time it got me thinking about tulle in a whole new way:

As a contrast overlay it adds dynamism , and the changing density of colour great textures. The tulle overlay can evoke ruffled romanticism

Or crisp style lines

Whether it's ruched, gathered or shredded tulle is ultra feminine.

B ut, no matter how classic a material is, it's always due a reinvention.

More Video footage from Alternative Fashion Week

My friend Mike Ashworth, who has been a staunch business mentor and all round top bloke just tweeted a newly found video on youtube of some of my Fleurs Du Mal corset collection,

Enjoy: