A Year of Pretty - December 28, 2014

We are almost at the end of another year. Which means I am almost at the end of my A Year of Pretty for 2014. I think after 2014 is through, I am going to go back to posting under some of the headings I have used in the past - "Delicate and Pretty", "A Little Bit of Lovely", "Shoes and More Shoes".

While it has been fun to bring a daily dose of something pretty, it has also been a bit of a time grabber. Not so much in the actual posting each day, but in the researching and finding background information, chasing broken links down a dark rabbit hole to try and credit original sources; and of course.....hours spent scrolling through Pinterest and other such sites.

(For those that want to admire a whole bunch of Pretty at one time, I invite you to a collection called "oh. .  pretty!" that I have curated, both for your enjoyment and my inspiration).

There has not been any snow so far this December in Vancouver. Well, up on the mountains, yes. But not in the city itself. So for today's Pretty Post I thought I would bring the snow to you by way of this STUNNINGLY GORGEOUS suit ensemble from the Chanel Haute Couture Fall/Winter 2014 / 2015 collection. I have watched (a number of times) the videos on how these pieces are hand crafted and painstakingly put together. Utterly amazing.

It would take me years...YEARS ! to complete a garment such as this. So I can understand the astronomical price tag that this jacket and pants would go for. If I had to hazard a guess, I would put this at being no less than $35,000.00. Yes, thirty five thousand dollars.

Okay, so back to the garment itself. The detailing is smart. The play between the expanse of white in the jacket and the cording effect of the beading is beautiful. The beading not only acts as a decorative detail, but serves to contour the lines of the body. Essentially, it is a tuxedo jacket with a mandarin collar that morphs into a long tunic. I'm noticing now that in one of the pictures (above), it is worn with leggings, in another (right) the model's leg is visible. In a show, these two looks would be presented one after the other. Which means the jacket combo was made twice?


No, but wait! It's a tuxedo jacket with biker shorts! Now that I have watched the video of the fashion show again, the model is clearly wearing a tuxedo-jacket-cum-tunic over a pair of long biker shorts. Only Chanel could make biker shorts this glamourous. Here is a screen shot from the youtube video (left).

But my train has left the tracks. Back to this Winter Wonderland look. The beading reminds me of Christmas tinsel and holly berries, with all the twiggy bits poking up out of the snow.

So while beaded biker shorts may not be your kind of thing (and honestly, for me I would do without them and wear plain leggings, either in the same warm winter white or in red to match the red "berries" with a cable knit pattern and red patent leather stilettos), this tunic would definitely be a show stopper at any company Christmas party or New Year's Eve gathering. But heaven forbid Carl the Clumsy from Accounting doesn't bump into you with his glass of red wine, or your Uncle Leon drop his plate of Swedish meatballs on your lap as he leans over to kiss you hello.

If you are interested in watching the whole production, the youtube video is here:

A Year of Pretty - February 26, 2014

Today is the last day of preparation for the Great Gatsby Inspired Fashion Show I'm participating in tomorrow night. Most of the work is done, but there are a couple things that still need attention before everything gets packed up at moved to the venue. Minor things like stitching in company labels and pressing, plus matching the shoes and accessories for each look. I will be dressing my model myself, so at least I will have control over the look and can give it a once over before it heads out on the runway.

Last week, I was able to get in a photo shoot with a few of the pieces that will be going down the runway. We spent most of the day at the shoot, and my model Jen Ryley was fantastic (and oh-so-patient). Jenny Ruth of JennyV Make Up and Hair styled the model for the shoot. I think she did a beautiful job. 

Photography was done by Wesley Allen Shaw in his own studio.

I was super lucky that the garments fit Jen perfectly. Which means no size adjustments to the garments for tomorrow night. So happy about this. It also means Jen, who is modelling for me in the show, will already be familiar with each of the looks.

It was a fun shoot, and I've included not only some serious shots of the garments, but some goofy ones as well when Jen was in between takes.

So Today's Pretty Post is about my own label de volk & gosche. First, a little history:

My maternal grandmother's (my Oma) maiden name is Volk. My paternal grandmother's maiden name was gosche. "Volk" means "people", "Gosche" means "cheeky, or left of center". So the two names together become "For People Cheeky or Left of Center". It also sounds sophisticated and European.....like Dolce and Gabbana. 

The fabrics I've used here are silks and yoryu satin, which are produced by Telio. I also bought some great trims online through Etsy. Check out PrettyLaceShop for their great selection of trims and lace details.

The looks all came together relatively easy. Okay, okay . . there were some frustrations when trying to get my ideas from paper to fabric; but in the end I am extremely please with the results and can't wait to see them on the runway.

Anyway, I hope you like them as well.

 

A Year of Pretty - February 06, 2014

Today's Pretty Post is from the March 19, 2012 cover of Ruche. Check out the entire article and many other beautiful photos by clicking on the picture above. The whole collection of images are Great Gatsby inspired, which is just what I'm after for the upcoming show.

Have you Missed me ?

I have been away, I mean, I haven't gone anywhere physically, but I've been away from here. From this blog. It seems like just a couple weeks, but in truth it's been months.

Life ran away with me. Or rather, I ran away with life. Together we eloped into a frenzy of office work, fashion sketching, pattern drafting, muslin making garment construction and (horror of horrors) . . . restaurant work. A second full time job.

Yes, despite my previous thoughts of not returning to work in a restaurant, the $13,000.00 for a new roof and balcony had other ideas. So back to prostituting my soul table side for $$ I go ! Okay . . . I'll admit I do love the industry, but no the long hours and the effect it has on my sleeping pattern, my eating pattern, my aching back-knees-calves-and-feet pattern. Essentially . . . my life pattern.

And silly me, I did this heading into the last term of my graduate program. Yes, I am crazy. Or a glutton for punishment. Or destined for design disaster. Time to tell. Time that I don't have . . . for things like this blog.

Because if you're paying attention, I now work 40 hours in the office, 35 hours at the restaurant and 12 hours at school, plus about 10 hours of homework. That's 97 hours per week. Yeh, I'm gonna have to go with "crazy" on this one.

So I think the next little while will be about posting inspirations and ideas and less about writing and actual "blog" blogging.

A blog without any real "blogging". Or blog writing.

You get the picture. Or you will, because there will be a lack of blogging.
Just pictures.
Which you will get.

Beautiful Flocked Ivy Silk Art Fabric by FabricMart