La Replublique

http://www.larepubliquedespyrenees.fr/2012/05/07/elle-habille-les-acteurs,234403.php

'Atelier de Couture'

This weekend at the Easter Arts festival in Navarrenx, I launched my new 'Atelier de Couture'. 
Until now I have been working in a large but isolated room at the top of the house. The new space allows me to work downstairs in a wonderfully light, dedicated space, where I can meet clients and have contact with the public. I love talking about my work and enjoy showing things in progress to anyone that is interested. 
Our village is on the 'Saint-Jacques de Compostelle' pilgrim route to Santigo in Spain, so particularly in Spring & Autumn, we get many visitors from all over the world.

Opera Baroque de Compagnie Eclat de Lyre

This is the latest version of the dress I'm making for the lead singer Anne, in the Baroque Opera, 'La Deesse et L'Oiseau.

During the piece she removes the various layers to reveal the garment beneath. Although I have given the client designs, with each 'fitting' and discussions about fabrics, new ideas are born, so it really is in a state of constant flux...

The outer layer of the costume will be made in a gunmetal grey, liquid satin which should look metallic, dramatic and rather magical.
The first performances in May will be in Orthez, a local medieval town, then in June it all moves up to a venue in Paris....

'La Comtesse de Castiglione' a film by David Lodge

A Dutch painting comes to life....

In this stills campaign for Phillips music, meticulous attention to detail with hand made jewellery, wigs and truly amazing casting, really helped this painting come to life. Fine cotton french muslin worked well for the blouse and over painting on the cotton velvet with clever lighting helped to complete the illusion.

'The working wardrobe'

 At the 11th hour a fashion designer had dropped out of a 'wearble art' show, due to be showcased in London then toured around European nightclubs.  As I already had a few ideas, I worked them into 'a collection' and was invited aboard.
The idea behind this one was simple. When a light bulb needed changing, the long dress is easily pulled up by a series of cords and held in place by the weights.I was inspired by the construction of camping equipment & utilitarian clothing, but wanted to incorporate these ideas into something more feminine.
There are a complex set of fine gauze panels enabling the wearer to stay cool - in theory, and lots of other, some might say, slightly obsessive details.



If worn in real life, the strings would become entangled, so it would never work as an actual garment unless they were secured in some way, but they looked good swinging about ....
I enjoy finding different ways to ruche and gather fabrics and this was one way to incorporate these ideas into one garment. Its a sampler really - a demonstration of dressmakers tricks and experiments ....just that.
The show was launched at the club 'Heaven' and we were very lucky to have the best DJ at the time, Mark Moore (of S Express) playing our backing tracks.
That night I also bumped into fashion photographer Iain McKell, who invited me to style my costumes for 'The Observer Sunday Magazine...and that moment is when I became a professional 'costume designer' ..

Egg - Guinea Pigs