Just came across this on Vogue.com. I'ts great to see how the pro's do it! 

http://www.vogue.co.uk/news/daily/101206-fashion-designers-sketchbooks-hywe/gallery.aspx#

I've amended my skirt so it now hangs exactly how I'd imagined. However I then came across another issue after I'd sewn in the lining. Because the dress was quite heavy, it wouldn't stay up by itself. I decided I needed to make some straps. I wasn't keen on this idea at first but if i wanted the dress to stay up on the catwalk it was my only option. Once I started playing around with different arrangements, I soon warmed to the change. 

This was the look I decided to go for (mirrored on the opposite side)

I've had a very productive couple of days and as a result my dress is almost complete. There is, however, something not quite right with the skirt. Because the fabric I've chosen for the top layer is not stiff enough to hold itself up, where there is a slight excess in length at the bottom, it hangs over. I think it needs to be sewn a little tighter so as to be less like a puffball, so I'll need to address this next week. Besides that I'm very pleased with the bodice and also really like the sheer lower part of the skirt.

The standard darts in the pattern didn't quite match up with all the seams in my bodice. I therefor had to add them at the end in order to ensure everything lined up perfectly. Its so satisfying when all the pieces fit together

I then had to work out my gathering which turned out to be much more straight forward than I first thought. I simply cut two pieces of fabric twice the width of the skirt and then gathered them and sewed them onto my skirt.

Voila!

I found this fur muff in a charity shop today. They had a huge selection of fur in the back which I just couldn't resist having a sneeky peek at.  I wanted to take the whole collection home but was on a budget so settled for this one (for now).

My dress is coming along nicely. I decided against using the suede as the machine teeth scuffed it too much. I therefor am using leather for the cups and piping. I did wonder whether it would look to kinky but I actually think it should look quite edgy and am looking forward to seeing it when its all done!

Mary Katrantzou

I love how quirky this collection is. It seems quite a simple idea but works really well.

style.com

Winter is well and truly upon us, whether we like it or not. Despite the chill, now is the perfect time to embrace the seasons top trend - fur! I know, I know, being an animal lover I should be totally against this but what can I say, I love fur! I came across a beautiful fur stole (complete with paws and tails) in a vintage shop a couple of years ago for next to nothing. Turned out to be a great investment and I shall be digging it out once again this winter to keep me cosy.

Fendi

Fendi

Veronique Leroy


style.com

Emma Watson's style has blossomed since her departure from Hogwarts.  Perhaps her biggest statement was her new pixie crop. It must have been so liberating after years of being contractually bound to maintain her appearance for her character.
After featuring in Burberry's latest campaigns she was given this custom made trench by christopher Bailey. It's the first from their latest bespoke collection.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=emma+watson+burberry+mac&um=1&hl=en&tbm=isch&tbnid=YtMPdche-uVeHM:&imgrefurl=http://www.popsugar.co.uk/tag/Harry%252BPotter%252Band%252Bthe%252BDeathly%252BHallows%253Fpage%253D2&ei=GhaeTeaJDsSKswaJsNC2BA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=138&vpy=286&dur=974&hovh=192&hovw=114&tx=70&ty=60&oei=GhaeTeaJDsSKswaJsNC2BA&page=1&tbnh=172&tbnw=90&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0&biw=1280&bih=644

I want these necklaces!

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=alexa+chung+The+Vogue+CFDA+Fashion+Fund+Awards&um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbm=isch&tbnid=aS1G1To2SQVdyM:&imgrefurl=http://melikenurgezgin.tumblr.com/post/1594093933/alexa-chung-at-cfda-vogues-fashion-fund-7th&ei=gRmeTenrGY6EswahluSwBA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=1076&vpy=20&dur=4477&hovh=343&hovw=147&tx=134&ty=124&oei=gRmeTenrGY6EswahluSwBA&page=1&tbnh=169&tbnw=65&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:7,s:0&biw=1280&bih=644

So, Kirstie's Homemade Home is back on the box, and once again I'm feeling very inspired. I love her eclectic taste and the way she pulls everything together turning any cluttered home into an Aladdin's cave.  I particularly liked the cross stitch cushion she made in last nights episode and rather fancy making one of my own.

http://www.emilypeacock.com/

Toile

I got my toile finished today and am very pleased with how its looking. Its taken a while to get there as the cups where much more complicated than I had first anticipated. Getting the cups the correct shape was the biggest challenge.

Portfolio

So thats it, portfolio and sketchbook handed in! What a relief, I can now focus on making my dress. 

I love this shirt by Hamilton-Paris

http://www.hamilton-paris.com/content/english/en_lookbook_AW2010.html

Monique Lhuillier

Whilst researching designers for the Anh Mao project, I discovered Monique Lhuillier. Her work is amazing, so elegant and feminine. I particularly liked these from her spring 2011 RTW collection

I've also been looking at the work of Elie Saab.

(spring 2010 Couture)
style.com

Black and gold

Having spoken to Anh, i decided on a colour scheme of purple and gold, taken from an image (in my previous post) of a caterpillar. I wanted to do something feminine and a little antique looking. After playing around with different designs using those colours, however, i soon decided it wasn't working. Everything looked too disney princess-esque! i went back to my research and black seemed to be a prominent colour so it was decided - Black and gold!

some samples - piping and gathering.

New year. New start. New brief

So, i spent last year convincing myself i was going to put my all into our next project...I'm getting there. We were given a brief to design an evening dress for Anh Mao with the possibility of it being put into production, all we had to decide was our theme. In the past I've chosen themes which seem to restrict me somewhat with regards to research. I therefor decided to chose something i actually had an interest in and so would hopefully find more inspiring; Insects. From shape to colour to texture the possibilities appear to be endless, this was definitely a good decision!

Newcastle College window display - Lolita

(my dress is the one in the chair!)