Tuesday 24 July 2012

Moodboard - Frida


This weeks mood board is for a dress we have been working on for a shoot this week in Devon. The inspirations - Frida Kahlo and Gypsy Luxe.
Frida is one of my favourite films and she is one of my favourite artists and women all round. I love the colours, the ruffles, the flowers and the gorgeous sex appeal of everything surrounding Frida Kahlo. Pretty and feminine but tough as nails and beautifully intelligent.
I have also looked at the romantic gypsy, mainly Spanish influences and Flamenco in the fifties. Oh The ruffles!

I recommend watching Frida the film with Salma Hayek and reading books on her as an artist. This taschen book is a great starting point. Her influence is never ending. 

Monday 16 July 2012

Customer Pics - Vicky and Mike Grace


I have been meaning to blog these pictures for such a long time but this was a case of sitting down properly to write the tale of Vicky and Mike and the wedding dress that was made just in time!

I first met Vicky at the Bristol Vintage wedding fair. I was in my full swing of saying yes, yes, yes we make wonderful dresses,  wearing my elephant dress and feeling sooo nervous inside like I always do.  Vicky said that she would like a dress and I booked her in for an appointment at the studio. She said the wedding was in May and I was "yes that's all great".

Vicky arrived at the studio on the 7th April a little nervous and she bought with her, for the first time EVER her husband to be Mike. It was so wonderful that Vicky could involve Mike in her dress, it made me a little nervous myself having a Man in the studio ( men can be weird around dresses when they don't want to wear them ).
Mike was not weird and the couple sat on my sofa and explained that the wedding was in less than a month and would it really be possible to make a dress in this time? My head was a little WTF me and my big mouth saying I could do this when I am so busy?

But, "YES" it would be fine. From the start I wanted to make the dress for Vicky and was more than happy to work a little harder to do this in time. So we started discussing the dress design, fabrics etc.
The couple had been through a really hard time personally hence why there was a delay in organising the dress, it had been the last thing on their minds. It was emotional first appointment with a few tears and so much loveliness with Mike saying to Vicky " I'll be blown away seeing you in this dress". Vicky understandably shed a few tears and how I didn't bawl my eyes out at the love between these two I don't know!

So the dress was set, I had the challenge of being super focused and making the dress in two weeks and all was sorted. Or so I thought .......... I ordered the silk the day of the appointment and to my horror the supplier emailed me a few days later to say that they only had one metre left and they weren't getting any more. I needed four metres to make the dress!
I emailed Vicky saying how sorry I was and that we would need to use a different print.

The next morning Mike text me saying PLEASE CALL ME. I was terrified thinking he would actually come down the phone and strangle me, but thankfully no. Instead he had rang round suppliers and gave me a really clear list of samples to order for Vicky's dress and who to speak to. I did as I was told and ordered the samples so they would arrive with Vicky the next day for her to choose from.

Meanwhile ......... Mike frantically cycled around Bristol to every supplier in his book (he used to be a curtain maker so knew his stuff!) and found the exact print of the Lily dress in a little shop in Bedminster. Where I used to buy fabrics at Uni and the last place I would have looked!

He reserved the silk for me and I speedily drove up to Bristol to collect it. Yes people there are diamonds of men out there and Vicky has one very sparkly 100 carat man in Mike! He saved the dress!

Vicky collected her dress two weeks later, trying it on at the studio and looking beautiful. On the 5th May they were married in Bristol. Vicky looks soooooooooooooooooooooo stunning and the vintage faux fur jacket is perfect for the dress along with her classic black Prada shoes.

So all was well in the end. The dress was made, the couple were utterly gorgeous and for me at a super stressful  time, I couldn't have asked for a more perfect couple to work for.
Congratulations to my very favourite couple who made my job so rewarding and thank you also for the holiday treats which went down very well! x

P.S the photography is by a very talented Flora Symons who is just 15. Me thinks she will go far in photography! 

Saturday 14 July 2012

Anna's New Blue Dress


Anna recently made this fabulous dress for a wedding in Barcelona (she'll share all soon) and it's bloody gorgeous!
The dress was made from a vintage style pattern Anna found and a fabulous vintage fabric that had been printed originally intended for scarves. Anna even covered the buttons to match, I love all the details on this dress.
To have a similar dress made like this enquire with Anna, I'm sure she'd love to make another one!

Friday 13 July 2012

The Glitter is Here!


The Glitter bags are here! And Bows too! 

These gorgeous bags were first commissioned for a wonderful wedding (which is happening very soon) and we loved them so much that we wanted to share them with everyone.
Our bags are made in a super spangling glitter in either pink or silver for the moment, There will be more colours coming soon.
Lined in a liberty print cotton, these linings will change frequently so no one will have the same bag as you.
The large bow is detachable and has a pin back so that you can also wear it on a dress or belt.

The bows are also available to buy separately.

Hope you enjoy looking at our new sparklers as much as we do? Seeing it a real life seriously results in a little squeal of joy! xxx

To order your bag or bow simply click on one of the pictures.

Tuesday 10 July 2012

The Week That Was ...... Mainly Glitter and Bows

The  most perfect shoes to go with our dresses we have ever seen ..... and their name is Anna at Kurt Geiger. Anything that sparkles and we're happy!
And we made a bow clutch bag to match which will be coming to the shop very soon!

A whole layered cake of petticoats went to new owners ...............
......... along with a little black dress to Canada for a 'CHANEL' themed hen party!

We made matching accessories to this gorgeous Sheena Holland hair band for a bride.
A very tiny little girls first bridesmaids dress in green and pink ................
...... and another little girl named Meg became my Muse for childrenswear, she helped me design her dress which ended up  looking super amazing!
The back of a very special wedding dress.

Working out if you can hold a bouquet and glitter clutch bag at the same time walking down the aisle. We thought YES!
Anna did her first hen party workshop making ..................

....... These gorgeous silk garlands for a wedding. Now these are what you call pretty and they aren't bunting!