The Fringe Thing

When you see fringed clothes, what comes to your mind? Native American garments?  The 1920s Flapper period? Maybe hippies and rock and roll music.  

Fringe has been part of clothing design over many decades.  It looks as if it's resurfacing again in fashion, and has refreshing new ways of being incorporated into the clothes and accessories we wear.

pinterest.com

Dress by Jil Sander, fashioncopious.typepad.com

easydoesit.wordpress.com

stylehive.com

By Clover Canyon, Pre-Fall '16, nymag.com

Till next blog!

If I Could Collect Handbags...

I'm a frugal person by necessity.  But if I had the funds to buy what I wanted rather than what I needed, I would have a big collection of bags.  This is the accessory that I find has a purpose, (besides the belt) though I believe we women get carried away with it.  What exactly do we put in the gigantic bags that have been in style for some time? 

I find the bigger the bag I carry, the more I put in it.  When I thought about it, I didn't really need everything in there.  This summer I've been using a flat black shoulder bag from Avon (it's about 4 years old now) which forced me to use a smaller wallet (actually it's a little purse) and all I bring with me now is a lip balm, handcream, my phone book, sunglasses, business cards,  my cell phone, a mirror, pen, and any slim small booklet that I can read if travelling (that still sounds like a lot, but it fits in the slim bag).   What do men carry?  Themselves and a wallet in the back pocket.

Here are some fun colorful bags I took a fancy to.  I love the ALDO line of bags which can be found at www.amazon.com.  The prices for most of these bags are under $40.00.  What a bargain!

Aldo, www.amazon.com

                            

Aldo, www.amazon.com

Aldo, www.amazon.com

                                                                    

                                    Coach handbags, www.thecheapgirl.com                                                  

www.reitmans.com 

                                                                                                                                                                    
Just to let you know, the blue bag by ALDO is only $19.98!!  That's one bag I have my eye on...  Till next blog!

Two of My Favorite Designers

One of my favorite programs on television is Project Runway.  For those of you that live in the United States, there's a sister program called Project Runway Canada.  For those of you that surf Youtube, you can find short exerpts of Project Runway Australia, Project Runway Phillipines, there's another country I can't remember that also has their version of Project Runway, all cousins to the original, lol.  Anyway, I discovered two of my favorite designers through the program.   

                      Rodney Epperson                             

                     www.poptower.com                     

                                                by Epperson 
                                      www.fashionwindow.net 

                                                  by Epperson                                      
                                             http://hubpages.com                                  

Rodney Epperson, who was on Project Runway season 6, was a well known designer before the show.  He's designed for Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill, and also the late John F. Kennedy Jr.!  Epperson's first collection was shown in 1994, after a successful stint at designing and selling accessories to Traffic in Los Angeles, and Barney's in New York City.  The Epperson Studio in located in Brooklyn, New York.

                                             Shernett Swaby                                  
                                        http://3.bp.blogspot.com

by Shernett Swaby,   http://fashioninmotion.wordpress.com

                                                                                       

 by Shernett Swaby, www.luckymag.com

                                                     

Shernett Swaby, a contestant on Project Runway Canada 2007, was born in Jamaica.  Swaby studied at the International Academy of Design in Toronto, graduated in 1998, and immediately started an underwear collection for both men and women.  Her desire was to start clothing collection for women which she started when she opened her boutique in 2001 and she now has completed six collections.  Shernett moved to Chicago in 2009 to open another boutique called Shernett Swaby.  Her website is 

www.shernettswaby.com.  

Project Runway season 8 is being shown in the US now.  I'm waiting impatiently for it to be shown in Canada.  Till next blog!                                                                                                                                    

Beautiful Native American Fashion

One of the groups of people I have a keen interest in are the Native Americans.  I've had an interest in them for a very long time.  I admire their traditional dress, and I love the freedom of life ( I call it that) they had before others came to their land.
  
There are many Native American fashion designers incorporating their people's designs into clothing creating beautiful garments.  I'll mention three today. 

www.dorothygrant.com

                                            by Dorothy Grant
                                    www.stylefinds.blogspot.com

 Dorothy Grant is a Haida from Ketchikan, Alaska who now lives and works in Vancouver, British Columbia.  She attended the Helen Lefeaux School of Fashion Design, graduating in 1988.  Dorothy opened a retail store in 1994 in the Sinclair Centre in Vancouver, B.C.  She includes Haida images of old legends of her people in her clothing.  Dorothy's works can be seen in museums.  Visit www.dorothygrant.com to see more of her couture designs.

                     by Patricia Michaels                         

          www.adobefashion.wordpress.com

                                          by Patricia Michaels
                                   www.cinematicafterglow.com

Patrician Michaels uses natural materials such as bamboo and silk hemp.  Patricia learned her craft from the Institute of American Indian Art and the Chicago Art Institute.  She lived in Venice, Italy for a while learning the art of contructing clothes from an Italian tailor.  View her collection at www.pmwaterlily.com.

                            by Virgil Ortiz                                 

                    www.kathrynkeats.com       

                                              by Virgil Ortiz
                                             www.tfaoi.com

Virgil Ortiz comes from a family of potters, and so that explains why his places pottery designs on some of his clothing.  Another familiar design seen on his clothing is the Pueblo cross symbol.  His company is called Indigene which also features bags and accessories.  Virgil's designs are sold in Scottsdale, Los Vegas, Miami and Los Angeles.  Go to www.virgilortiz.com to see more of Virgil's work.

Till next blog!

Sew, Sew, Sew!

Another weekend is here.  Can't believe it!  It seems like I was just watching Project Runway a few days ago.(It's on Saturday nights in the Toronto/GTA area.  That's in Ontario Canada for non-Canadians...)

I'm still working on a couple of New Year's resolutions.  One was to excercise more, and one was to post more pictures of my work.  Well, I'm doing those.  I feel accomplished!

I've completed a few projects this week.  I've made two samples of my daughter's blouse design, part of her 5 piece spring and summer mini line of clothing.  One blouse is sleeveless, and the other has big puff sleeves.  There's a drawstring hem thing going on with me.  I like them.   I haven't started making patterns for my mini line as yet.  I was coming home one afternoon from helping my friend prepare for her fashion show, and I had a sudden inspiration of what my fall and winter 5 piece line would be.  I may skip my spring and summer line and work on fall/winter!  What I would be designing is futuristic, millenium, whatever word you want to call 21st century clothes.

This pink bag I love, but when I tested it's function, it didn't pass the test!  What do I have to do now?  I'll have to stiffen the clothe bag more with more interfacing and lengthen the flap closure.  A weightier fabric would do the trick.  Haven't given up yet.  The style is so pretty.  This is bag number 5! 

I found a blue t-shirt in my storage room and was just looking at it wondering what to do with it.  Started cutting the sleeves off Thursday night.  Transpired into this on Friday.  Love it!  The design is absolutely organic.  It also has a drawstring hem.  I like the flower detailing.  I'm going to make more in different sizes. 

Till next blog!

Designing is a Family Trait

Spring, spring, where are you?  It is officially spring, but the weather is fluctuating a bit too much for my liking.  I can hardly wait for the flip flop weather.  Pedal pushers, t-shirts, sheer blouses, ahh, freedom from restricting coats, hats and gloves.

I have three things to show you.  I've finished another of my daughter's bag design.  My son, who loves to draw, cartoon figures in particular, made some designs last year of the types of hats and hoodies he'd love to wear.  Also, the mock wedding dress I said I would soon be making has been made, although it's a bit more understated than I had planned it to be.  No matter, it's my first attempt, and I'm looking forward to making a more detailed wedding dress sample in the future. 

The hat is made of three colors, two of which are appliqued.  The one seen is a medium size.  It can be made in small and large as well.  I like the originality of it, haven't seen anything like it as yet.  The designer gets an A+! 

There's a blue theme going on I guess.  This bag is made of recycled and new fabric.  The blue fabric was formally a jacket.  Which leaves the floral fabric to be the new.  This design was stiffened with interfacing.  It's lined with the floral fabric as well.  My daughter suggested that I sew a pocket in the lining, so I'll be adding one to the next bag I sew.

My attempt at making a wedding dress,  or, as it looks here, a formal white dress, was enjoyable.  The sheer nylon fabric was actually a curtain, and the slip was made from cotton fabric I found among my fabric stash.  I was nervous with the draping of the fabrics to make the dress.  I didn't make patterns for them, I just used my judgement and cut, and draped, and tried to make an interesting design.  The sleeves and the neckline, which is ruched, are pleasing to me.  Sometimes working organically produces surprising but pleasing results.  The slip should be longer though.  Sometimes what you think of and what it actually looks like are two different things.

I am selling on eBay once again. I used to have an eBay basic store, but due to circumstances, I'm selling designs individually, which is more affordable for me cost wise.  You can find them under SK Clothes plus the name of the item you may be interested in.

Till next blog!

A Second Life for Fabrics and Paper

With so many people designing clothing lines, notably the stars and top designers who can buy new fabric every season, my imagination would start going and I'd sometimes wondered what was done with all the old clothing that wasn't bought in secondhand stores.  I don't have to worry too much though.  The designers of recycled clothing, paper and other products are large in number and growing, and their imagination knows no boundaries!

Preloved is a store that sells designs made from  fabric from vintage clothing.  Started in 1995 by a former model Julia Grieve and her friend Peter Frieson, they have three stores, one in Toronto, one in Montreal and the other in Australia.  Musicians, models and actors, such as Hilary Duff and Kate Hudson, purchase Preloved pieces.  The website for Preloved is www.preloved.ca.

Katherine Soucie is a designer based in Vancouver who uses an unusual fabric: used and new nylon hosiery.   The hosiery is dyed, cut in pieces, silk-screened and then heat set before being draped and sewn to make clothing.  This is a very unique idea.  View the designs at www.sanssoucie.ca.

Love bags?  Consider buying a bag made from candy wrappers or soda can pull tops.  It sounds bizarre, but the finished results from the designer of Ecoist are fantastic and attractive.  Paper and other products from factories that  have been misprinted and/or overaged are used by this company to make their creations rather than being thrown in landfills.  You have to look at the website:  www.ecoist.com.

There are many more businesses using recycled fabric and other products.  I will keep searching for them.  Till next blog!

multi-colored sweater - www.preloved.ca
candy wrapper bag - www.ecoist.com

A New Shirt from Old

One of my bohemian blouses I made about three years ago was made from a peasant skirt someone gave me for a Christmas gift.  I appreciate the gift, but the very volumous skirt made me look larger than I am already, so I didn't wear if often.  Instead of giving it away, it came to me to recreate it into something I would wear since the skirt had so much fabric.  This was the start of my recycling fabric.

It's fun to change a piece of clothing into something else.  It's also an inexpensive way to get a new wardrobe, if you're handy at sewing.  It's also a way of participating in the green movement.

This past week I completed two of a few projects I'm working on, one, an original women's shirt, and two, the second attempt at making my daughter's "sweety" bag design with improvements.

 The shirt was made from two men's large shirts.  One, the brown stripe, made the torso and sleeves of the shirt.  The peach striped shirt made the braided collar, the yolk at the shoulders, and the pleated cuffs with braid detail.

 The "Sweety" bag was made from my old brown jacket I had sewn years ago and a paisley print silk shirt.  It's lined with the paisley silk as well.  It's quite attractive!

I'll be talking more about used clothing being re-invented by local fashion designers in future blogs.  If something is cost effective, I'm definately in approval.

Till next blog!

A Bit of Information on SK Clothes

I'm a designer that doesn't like to follow the crowd too much.  I thrive on designing something I haven't seen before and with a lot of color.  My style has a bohemian flare to it.  I work casually with a friend who's also a designer.  She had asked me to sketch some designs for her last year for a fashion show, but when she saw my sketches, she was very quiet.  She's a very sophisticated lady which is reflected in the clothing she makes. (I love what she does, they are beautiful pieces, but I can't see myself wearing her clothing 24/7.  I have a younger spirit.)  I'm keeping the designs to use myself in the future.


My aim right now is to create original clothing that is marketable.  I have to reign in myself sometimes, but I like what I come up with.  The two designs below look semi-futuristic.  Bringing up futuristic, check out a designer who's clothing reminds me of Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome (1985, starring Mel Gibson, co-starring Tina Turner).  His name is Rick Owens.  The first Rick Owens' collection I saw online was the womens fall/winter 2009 collection, and I have to say, I was very pleasantly surprised.  Here is a man that could work as a stylist for every futuristic movie that will be made.  View his designs on www.nymag.com and www.luisaviaroma.com.

SK Clothes 

SK Clothes 

The clothing I try to make are easy to wear pieces with a combination of colours, especially if they are spring and summer clothing.  My fall/winter clothing will follow the same vein but with a little more detail.  Yes, I'm still working on it!  Hard times now.  Hopefully the day I show you some pictures will be the end of December. 

My daughter is quite the designer.  I have a collection of her clothing sketches and have made a few of her designs already.  Whenever I see her new drawings, my mouth drops, I'm quite inspired by her originality. 

Sweety bag, SK Clothes

She sketched this bag a couple of weeks ago, and I made the pattern and sewed it yesterday.  This was made with recycled fabric.  I really think it's cute, though I have to fine tune it a bit.  The girl has great potential!   While making it, I kept telling her it was a sweet bag, hence the name, Sweety Bag.   I'll be making a few more in different coloured fabrics.


Till next blog.

New Design - My S Saks

I've been working on some designs for accessories in between designing the ever late fall/winter sample clothing for SK Clothes.   The accessory is the bag.  I just love bags.  If there is any clothing or accessory I would collect, it would be bags.

Right now I love long strapped bags which leave hands free for doing other things like shopping, reading on transit, eating, etc.  I wonder about us women always having to carry big bags containing everything with us when men only have a wallet in their pocket.  But I myself will not travel without my  wallet, lip gloss, tissue,  pen, novel,  you get the point.  So I've designed a convenient bag for those teen girls and women who need a bag, but only for necessities and want to travel hands free.

The S Sak, which I call my design, is made of two to three fabrics for attractiveness.  The strap is sewn in diagonally and made of two fabrics as well.  It is lined with the contrasting fabric. The entrance to the bag is made of the same contrasting fabric as the lining and opens and closes with a drawstring.  What's good about this sak is it's washable, it's attractive, functional, and it's worn diagonally to prevent the strap from slipping off.  (When I carry the long strap bag the traditional way, over one shoulder, I'm forever tiring of slipping the strap back in the correct place.)  The S Sak is a type of backpack with one strap and one storage space on purpose, so females can only carry what's absolutely needed.  

These four saks are for sale on my ebay store page.  If you would like to purchase any one of them, my store link is www.stores.ebay.ca/SK-Clothes.  

Till the next blog.