Beautiful day

Wedding dress for Fashion Royalty dolls.
Stylisation under the dress of the pirate of 17 centuries.
The outfit includes: a blouse of chiffon, a corset, a top-skirt of chiffon, the bottom cambric skirt, a crinoline, a hat-cocked hat, jewerly.
Model: Erin Pained Plack, Fashion Royalty doll.
October 2010
More photos wedding dress >>>

CDDC 2010 - BACKSTAGE OF CHALLENGE THREE .

Fashion Falls Apart - Our next guest judge was the second place winner in last year's CDDC. She is known for her creative use of many different fabrics. So this challenge will be all about the Fabric and your deconstruction of it. Your challenge is to design a Haute Couture garment in the newest hottest style of deconstruction. From ripped seams... to stringy hems ..to rumpled fabrics, slices of zipper and vandalized denim, this challenge is about how well you can design a garment in the deconstruction style while still keeping it Couture.
Guest Judge - Dal Lowenbein
My outfit:

The Judges have spoken:
Judith: Theme: 3, Originality: 3.5, Creativity: 4.5, Construction: 5
I find this gown particularly hard to judge because I know how much work went into making the fabric but the final design doesn't look deconstructed. I don't see many raw edges or any qualities of the design that would give a deconstructed visual appearance. It is however a beautiful gown with fabulous jewellery.

Rob: Theme: 3, Originality: 4, Creativity: 4, Construction: 4.5
I don’t care about your first or second attempt at this challenge that was wasted time writing and reading. Please try to keep your description concise and to the point, at least you didn’t write a book like some other entries. Ok on to the entry. It is a simple design and basic silhouette, but it is cute. I appreciate that you wove your fabric for the bodice. I don’t see many deconstructed elements in the fashion. I can see a little, but I think you could have pushed it further. I am not sure the skirt meets the bodice well in the back on one side, but it could just be the photograph, so I give you the benefit of the doubt. Overall it is a pretty fashion and the turban works for this one. I think you can push yourself further outside that comfort zone, by this time in the contest I expect to see more. Make something spectacular that will amaze us!

Tom: Theme: 4, Originality: 3, Creativity: 2, Construction: 4
One man’s trash is another man’s haute couture. I don’t get deconstruction from this. That being said, like 16, this is a lovely dress. I really like the bodice, but would have like to have seen it better resolved at the center back…that being said…because the back isn’t neatly resolved, it actually works better for the theme of this challenge, albeit not as pretty as the front.

Dal: Theme: 4.5, Originality: 5, Creativity: 5, Construction: 4.5
I adore the bodice treatment. Very beautifully “constructed” from deconstructed fabric. Not sure if the structured design of this entry constitutes true "Fashion Falls Apart”. I do get the Asian inspiration and love the mystery and drama of your color choice. I could see a couture collection coming from this entry but do not feel it fulfills the challenge as well as I know you could have. Stunning design, great styling and perfect presentation.

Total: 63,5/80 Ranking 3th in the overall competition; 4th in this challenge.

I'm back from holiday on September 22 and I had only 4 days for creating the outfit for this challenge. It was difficult, but how showed the results not me one =)

I have not had time to deal with the concept of deconstruction, so I considered it as a rethinking. How we were taught in high school, deconstruction from Lat. de (back) + constructio (build) or Rethinking, but not destroy.

My first idea was the outfit around the skirt with asymmetrical edges, made from ragged fragments. I decided to abandon the idea after making several such details, as it was more like “trash” than Haute Couture.

When I worked on the second option, I focused on the construction. As a result, I created a very interesting pattern consisting of complex geometric shapes.

But this idea also did not result in a finished costume, as I was fascinated by a new one.

The Muse is strange. You never know where she'll find you. I was in the cinema and watched Sounds of the Universe movie which is a music film about the Depeche Mode concert tour. At some point, I was an old Hindu on the screen. And I remembered: some years ago, I saw the program on the National Geographic channel about Asian dyers of silk. In order to achieve motley colors, they get solid piece of fabric, twist it into a tight plait and lower it into the bowl with paints of contrasting colors...

I was fascinated by this idea, and I decided to use it to have the effect of accordion-pleated fabric.
Back home I took a long piece of chiffon, wet it, twisted into a tight braid, held it in the boiling water for a few minutes and left it to dry until morning. The next day, when it dried up, I treated it with hot steam and let it out (synthetic fabric deforms from heat). The result pleased me and I did the same with the blue one.

This was the first step in the deconstruction of fabric. But it seemed to me too little for the theme. I tore the finished fabric into strips 2" wide, then folded it 4 times and sewed on the inner side.

I intertwined the resulting ribbons with each other, finally having new fabric for the bodice.


For the skirt, I made strips 4" wide, cut them into rectangles and created freestyle frills.
The Eastern-style turban and jewelry are tribute to asian women who inspired me.

When I did this outfit, I have not slept more than 40 hours and finished an half hour before the deadline. Oh what it was fun!
I set the alarm to the timer in every 15 minutes on the remaining 2 hours. My husband wrote a description for outfit as dictated by me. When the remaining half hour, I quickly cleared the place for the photo studio, fast made a few photos, resized, and sent them before 3 minutes to deadline =))

I hope that is not will happen again, and the remaining challenges will I do in normal working conditions!

CDDC 2010 - BACKSTAGE OF CHALLENGE TWO .

Challenge Two - The "Alice" Challenge

Our next guest judge designed the fabulous Alice companion doll for the IFDC 2010 Convention. David took Alice and while keeping her original style, moved her into the 21st Century. Your challenge has been inspired by David's creation and by the FIDM SuperLab challenge earlier this summer: Super Lab Challenge
Choose a character from children's literature(now I say children's because most of the heroes/heroines of children's literature have a distinct style that you can build on) and keeping their colours and style, design them a fresh new look, that is in keeping with their style.
Guest Judge - David Buttry

A General Comment for all Designers from Rob Thompson: The name of this contest is the Couture Doll Design Challenge. That means you are expected to design and create couture fashion. Anyone with a desire and supplies can make doll clothes, we are looking for couture designs. Don’t make “mall clothes” and expect to get high scores. This is not a ready to wear contest. Regardless of the level of your sewing skills your goal in the contest should be to make couture. Make sure you understand each challenge; fully understanding each challenge and sticking to the rules of the challenge are the only way to earn points. Even if you don’t like the challenge, complete it to the best of your ability. If you don’t meet the challenge rules, you are wasting your time and the judges time. If we didn’t challenge you to stretch your skills and work outside your comfort zone, it wouldn’t be a contest. A challenge is not supposed to be easy, it is supposed to make you think, research, and learn. You should strive to bring originality and creativity to your design. You should be focused on details, making a simple dress for a large scale doll is not a challenge. There is no excuse for shortcuts and lack of detail, especially if you are working with a larger scale doll.

A General Comment for all Designers from Tom Courtney: I had some issues with contestants taking an already literal vision for the character – Dorothy’s red slippers – Belle’s golden gown – etc. – and building his/her inspiration from that. I tried to not let it affect me too much (because the challenge was to keep their colours and style – which isn’t always identified in a story), – but the inspiration was to come from literature…and the character…and I didn’t see this as going straight to someone’s else’s design interpretation to create their look – I felt this was a bit of a cop-out. But because this wasn’t specifically precluded…I tried to not let it temper my scoring too much.

My choice is The Blue Fairy from The Adventures of Pinocchio, C. Collodi.

“…As knocking was of no use, Pinocchio, in despair, began to kick and bang against the door, as if he wanted to break it. At the noise, a window opened and a lovely maiden looked out. She had azure hair and a face white as wax…”
The Adventures of Pinocchio, C. Collodi.

I had a few fairytale heroes in mind for this Challenge. I opted for the Blue Fairy from “The Adventures of Pinocchio”, C. Collodi when it became clear that the outfit should not be an evening gown or a ball gown, but it should be the clothes of an old hero with a modern twist.
I think, if the Blue Fairy was a modern girl, she would be dressed Lolita style. Bows, laces, thingies and spectacular skirts - it's so magical!
I create a lot of evening dresses. But I never managed to sew something in Lolita style, it never felt right for me. And I said to myself - this is my chance! This competition pushes us further, makes us go beyond the usual boundaries. I had a very powerful incentive and I did it.
I kept the main features of the Blue Fairy: sky-blue hair and clothes of the shades of blue. I recreated the old clothes in a new modern way.
My outfit consists of a cambric blouse decorated with laces and satin ribbons, accentuated by a blue cameo brooch. The skirt is double-layered, the top is made of Dupont silk, and the lower part is of cotton with ruffles of nylon net.
There are also blue nylon stockings and cambric knickers.

Judith: Theme: 5, Originality: 4, Creativity: 3.5, Construction: 5
Pretty version using modern styling to refresh this heroine. Good use of detail and the net frilling under the skirt keeps the fairy like quality alive in the outfit. A fresh new look that's in keeping with the Blue Fairy's styling.

Rob: Theme: 5, Originality: 4.5, Creativity: 4.5, Construction: 5
Very cute, and very well done. I can totally see the blue fairy in your design, and Momoko was the perfect choice of doll to use. I love the gentle flair of the sleeves of your blouse, and the delicate trim. I also like that you pushed yourself to create a “Lolita” style that you have never done before. The skirt is cute, I prefer a shorter more full skirt for “Lolita” styles, but yours does work. Your styling is very nice, and the hose you made are perfect. I also like that you made bloomers for her to wear under the skirt! That is very “Lolita”. I know Momoko is not the easiest doll to fit, and you fit her perfectly. The finishing is well done and clean. I love the amount of detail that you put into such a small scale. This is one of the better updates for the challenge, and I feel that you actually understood the challenge. Very good job, I am looking forward to seeing more from you. I am so glad you didn’t stick wings on her!

Tom: Theme: 5, Originality: 5, Creativity: 4, Construction: 5
Love it. Not getting ‘Lolita’ as much as I am ‘Western’…but nevertheless…I can see the blue fairy wearing this. The styling is adorable…and little details work with the whole. I admit…I had to look up ‘cambric’. You lost a point with the knickers…because I don’t see them anywhere on the model (maybe that’s the point?)…and because I don’t know a single woman that wears pantalettes anymore.

David: Theme: 4, Originality: 4, Creativity: 4, Construction: 5
Beautiful garment, loved the translation but I personally would have liked to have seen a nod to wings so it pushes the idea a bit and reads that she is the blue fairy and not just a pretty girl in Lolita.
Total: 72,5/80 Ranking 3th in the overall competition; 3th in the challenge.

It was a very interesting theme for me. I love fairy tales and dreaming to make a series of costumes by the Russian folk tales.

It's my favorite painting by V.M.Vasnetsov - Ivan-Tsarevitch and Grey Wolf:

Some painting by the Russian folk tales, which inspire me:

My favorite porcelain figurine from childhood - the Mistress of Copper Mountain:

Lol, so happens that the blue color is associated for me with the tale. And this is one of the reasons my choose the Blue Fairy, the second reason was a world famous character.

When I knew the theme the second challenge, the first my thought was: I'll be doing the Blue Fairy. Despite the fact that my past attempts to make the dress in the style of Lolita ended in failure, in this time it was made without problems for 4 days.

One shot of a preliminary fitting:

One of the interesting moments: I hadn't a blue satin ribbon 1 / 16, so I took the tape 1 / 8, folded it in half and iron down it.

Special great thanks to Yana Emelyanova for the fabric, blue silk of a skirt it her gift!

Unfortunately I didn't have a time for a good photosession. Barely I finished to sew outfit, I quickly photographed it, packed the dolls and camera, and we run to our car that to drive on holiday.

But we have brought very beautiful photos from holiday. But we have brought very beautiful photos from holiday. You can see 16 pics in my site>>> :

Me and my Blue Fairy:

CDDC 2010 - BACKSTAGE OF CHALLENGE ONE .

CHALLENGE ONE: Keep Putting that Best Foot Forward
Our first guest judge was the winner of the CDDC People's Choice last year. She was also the winner of this challenge in the first CDDC and I felt that she should be the one to judge it. This challenge is our little tribute to the King of Shoes Joe Tai, who is very ill at this time. We want to wish Joe all the best and send our good thoughts and wishes to let him know we are thinking of him. So your first challenge will be to find a special pair of footwear and design an outfit around them...but CDDC must keep everything fresh so while revisiting this challenge to honor Joe, I gave it something a little different for the returning contestants...the twist...this footwear and design creation must be Gothic!!!

A few words from our Guest Judge - I'd like to congratulate all of you for finishing your first challenge. I know it isn't easy putting your work out there for others to judge. Please learn from your scores and comments-with each challenge you will push yourself that much further This is really a great opportunity to grow. The other thing I would like the designers to consider- and I don't know if any of the other judges felt this way- I was bored by the use of black and red and corsets. I do hope they can foresee in the future what others might use and stray away from the 'common'. Anyone who wants to win this needs to stand out as doing something different.

A General Comment for all Designers from Tom Courtney: Lots of creativity in this challenge, but it seems some designers missed the point of the challenge: to be inspired by a pair of shoes and create a design based on that shoe. In project Runway, it’s always interesting to see how the judges critique each entry…it is usually reinforced that Project Runway is a ‘design’ competition, and not a ‘sewing’ competition; so, the judges may overlook a construction issue in favor of a design element – however, in this competition, construction can be weighed similarly as design. With that being said, I tried to look at each design in a non-personal, objective way…you must not take my comments personally (otherwise, you shouldn’t be in a competition). Finally, going forward, I highly suggest that designers seriously review their choice of dolls as models – some dolls pose much better than others…and it is to the designer’s advantage to showcase his/her design in the best possible way – if the doll cannot be posed properly – your design suffers from the perception of a fit or construction issue – and please bear in mind that ‘over-posing’ a doll also has the same effect.

My outfit on CDDC page >>>:

The Judges have spoken:

Judith:

Theme: 5, Originality: 4.5, Creativity: 5, Construction: 5

So many tiny details in this beautifully fabricated design. I'm sure the full effect can only be appreciated by seeing the actual garment. The textures created are exquisite and adore the boots! Simplicity of design works so well here.

Rob:
Theme: 4.5, Originality: 4.5, Creativity: 4.5, Construction: 4.5

I love the shoes, you did a fantastic job making those! Also the bodice is really beautiful. I would have liked to have been able to see more detail of the skirt, but from the pictures, it is beautiful. Your finishing on the corset is divine. The fit is very nice. The entire ensemble looks well thought out, and perfectly executed. The styling of the doll fits the fashion well. Everything was well executed and thoughtful, I hope you continue to deliver a fashion forward edge to all your entries. Well done!

Tom:
Theme: 3, Originality: 4, Creativity: 4, Construction: 5

Very well-done…but I can’t tell which came first, the corset or the boots? Remember the theme of the challenge: the designer doesn’t say anything about how the boots inspired the look. Other than that, the bodice is a bit bulky, but it does contribute well to a the silhouette through a good fit. And just a comment: the draping and fabric are lovely, but I don’t really care if it nearly killed you – this is a design competition, not Survivor.

Lori:
Theme: 4, Originality: 3.5, Creativity: 4, Construction: 4.5

Beautiful design, interesting use of fabrics and embellishments. I can see a lot of thought went into this design, it is nicely executed, although the use of red and black is predictable.

Total: 69,5/80 Ranking 3th in the overall competition; 3th in the challenge.

It was a very interesting challenge. I got a lot delight in work on this challenge and find out many new. I began with research of the Gothics Style. So wiki says:

The goth subculture is a contemporary subculture found in many countries. It began in the United Kingdom during the early 1980s in the gothic rock scene, an offshoot of the Post-punk genre. The goth subculture has survived much longer than others of the same era, and has continued to diversify. Its imagery and cultural proclivities indicate influences from nineteenth century Gothic literature along with horror films and to a lesser extent the BDSM culture. The goth subculture has associated tastes in music, aesthetics, and fashion, whether or not all individuals who share those tastes are in fact members of the goth subculture. Gothic music encompasses a number of different styles. Styles of dress within the subculture range from deathrock, punk, androgynous, Victorian, some Renaissance and Medieval style attire, or combinations of the above, most often with dark attire, makeup and hair.

To my great surprise, there are 23 types of Goth and each one has its own style of fashion: The Trad Goth, The Romantic Goth, The Cyber Goth, The Fetish Goth, The Hippy Goth, The J-Goth, The Rivethead, The Perky Goth, The Mopey Goth, The Deathrocker, The Baby Bat, The Corp Goth, The Victorian Goth, The Medieval Goth, The Metalhead, The Emo Goth, The Vampire Goth, The Geek Goth, The Gothabilly, The Cabaret Goth, The Steampunk Goth, The Faerie Goth, The Tribal Goth.

I chose the Vampire Gothic which includes tragedy, romanticism and sensuality...

My first thought about shoes for this challenge went me to look for inspiration in a pics of Alexander McQueen shoes. But I wasn't to make as an object a copy of McQueen shoes:

For a start I made heels and soles of black FIMO® (oven-bake clay):

I liked heels very much, but to my regret I found no suitable fabrics for my idea. And I went to the fabric store the next morning. My catch was the red and black velvet, a capron net as spider web, different lace and other. At home I began a testing new fabrics and decided in favour of fabrics from next pics:

After I choosed fabrics, work was begun in full swing. I made patterns and cut out details. Every detail of the corset and shoe upper is composed of 4 layers of fabric - the stabilizer, velvet, capron net and lining:

The last fitting. :

After that I decorated every seamon the corset with 1.5 mm satin ribbons, except for the central seam, which is decorated with lace and in addition I decorated of 140 different size Swarovski crystals for the corset and boots.

The last stage was eccentric transparent skirt is made of mesh decorated with beads and sequins, and the drapery nearly killed me. I was creating a drapery about 8 hours and it was the most difficult for me in this outfit.

Well, and final look:

Sybarites: Golden Age - Tea rose. Tribute Galliano.

Outfit "Tea Rose" for Sybarite doll was made by reason of Christian Dior Fall 2009 Couture Collection. And it is tribute to John Galliano.



Work include: corset, skirt, lingerie, crinoline, wig.
Materials: wild silk, italian laces, beads, sequins, satin ribbons, mohair wefted and other.


Time: about 140 Hours.
Model: Gwendolyn (Seville, Sybarite doll).

Sold, not available for repeat.
More photos in my site >>>

Alchimie de la douleur

one lights thee with his flame, another
puts in thee — Nature! — all his gloom!
what says to this man: lo! the tomb!
cries: life and splendour! to his brother.
o mage unknown whose powers assist
my art, and whom I always fear,
thou makest me a Midas — peer
of that most piteous alchemist;
for 'tis through thee I turn my gold
to iron, and in heaven behold
my hell: beneath her cloud-palls I
uncover corpses loved of old;
and where the shores celestial die
I carve vast tombs against the sky.

—Charles Baudelaire, in translation Lewis Piaget Shanks

Werwolf

I got email today. So nice!!!
Quotation:
I wrote, and then remembered that more wanted to say ... I found a word that describes your work. They are sensual. And absolutely all. Even pants for Momoko .
As my husband said about sybarites on your photos: "I should like fucked!". (And he is that, who considers, that sybs similar to the horses from the stables of Ksenia Sobchak (It russians Peris Hilton, but with horses face), that is what sensual photo can make with people!)

Sybarites: Golden Age - Lingerie for Sybarite doll.

I finished work on a small collection of sybaritic fashion last week.

The collection includes 3 sets - lingerie + skirt. Materials - natural silk and lace, from Armani fabrics collection; satin ribbons.
Jewerly by Integrity toys.
Limited edition.
Models are Sybarite dolls: Couture Swallow, Seville, Couture Salon.

Please, look first part pics - Boudoir in my site. All are 15 beautifull photos ;)

I am back!

I put in order my blog now - old design has broken down, and need new settings.
In the near future I'll tell about new sybarites fashions collection, show beads master-classa and many beautifull pics...
And I promise to stay in touch!

Coming soon (I hope today or tomorrow, LOL)

Spoiler =))

I hope, that soon this will be a small collection...

The Gull or Tribute Galliano.

Haute Couture Fashion for Fashion Royalty doll. Made by private order.
Outfit includ - parasol, hat with handmade bird, dress and jewerly. Making was about 130 hours.
The prototype was a dress from the collection of Christian Dior:


My work:

hoStyle garden, backstage

Ribbons cell with swarovsky crystals subdue savage silk flowers. The
appliqued corset follows the flower theme and brings the outfit
together with the handmade boots of the same rich purple color.
Delicate but dangerous - Queen B, Sybarite doll.

See more pics >>>

Rob Thompson (Robs Dolls) said about this work: Wow… This fashion is runway perfection. I love the use of ribbon to make a cage, what a great play on contrast. The dress underneath is beautiful, I especially love the play with volume in the sleeves, and the applied flowers. You have taken a dress that would by itself, unadorned, be a fantastic piece for the RTW line, and made it fashion forward, edgy and Avant Garde with the addition of the ribbon cage, flowers and the corset. I like the handmade boots; they tie in and finish the fashion beautifully. Well constructed and just beautiful. Job well done!


Costume hoStyle Garden was sewn in the same breath, literally for 2 weeks (about 130 hours). This is a rare example where I had no original ideas, and costume took shape in the process of creating, details was dictated the available fabrics and accessories. So, as it was:

1.I understand, that I have a lot of lilac and purple fabric. And I began to think that I can done from this:


2. Firstly, I made a test pattern dress and sewed a prototype of cotton.

In complicated cases, I sew initially sample the future work from cotton fabric that would test how is well the model and how clothes will be sit on the figure. If necessary, I make changes in pattern, until pattern will be ideal.


3. Pattern turned out perfect the first time. And the base of dress is ready now:


4. And so, came embellishment time. I decided to make silk flowers. To my surprise, because I've never made silk flowers, they also got the first try:


5.So is a lot more intresting!


6. I decided that the heartseases be are more interesting than one-colours roses:



7. I made 25 silk flowers:



9. Next I embroidered the velvet corset appliques of gold lace flowers:


10. Bootees:


11. The final touch - the cell-frame of silk ribbons. I was puzzling, as it is better to do, but all genius is simple, it turned out that she She holds the shape itself due to the elastic satin ribbon: