A Haute Halloween

"No matter how many modern parts I do, people still refer to me as Mrs. Costume Drama."

                                                                    -Helena Bonham Carter

Commes des Garçons Spring 2015

Halloween is lurking around the corner and couture costume ideas are aplenty. From Marie Antoinette to a twenties flapper to Marilyn Monroe, there are numerous options for the fashion-conscious. Heidi Klum is the master of creative costumes. Over the years, she has transformed herself into Cleopatra, Lady Godiva, a crow, and a plethora of other extravagant characters. When it comes to Halloween festivities, she spares no expense.

The New York Times posted an article this week on their fashion and style page about Halloween costumes inspired by high fashion. My favorite look shown on their Pinterest board is an extraordinary red hooded cape that graced the runways at the recent Comme des Garçons spring 2015 show. Little Red Riding Hood, eat your heart out.

If you prefer an understated Halloween ensemble, there are many ways to pull together a chic look while avoiding an actual costume. I was recently perusing online retailers and found some great pieces that embrace the spirit of Halloween without being too literal. One of them is Alexander McQueen's black hooded cape sold on net-a-porter.com. It is a great statement piece that can be worn past October 31st without looking gimmicky (if I had a spare $2,695 lying around, I would snap it up).

Another combination for the costume-shy is Michael Kors' black stretch-wool and silk-georgette gown paired with Bottega Veneta suede pumps. It screams dark and mysterious and wouldn't be out of place on Mrs. Count Dracula. My favorite Haloween-esque couture design is a skirt by Oscar de la Renta. I can just imagine Lily Munster wearing it while at a gala with Herman by her side.

Over the past few days, I have been on a sewing binge and designed a dress, a striped top, and a cape. I used a polka-dot wool boucle and added a bit of leather to make a dress. It was the first time I have ever bought a real leather hide and I could easily become obsessed. It was easy to work with, blended well with the wool fabric, and does not fray.

I also used the polka-dot fabric and combined it with a black camel's wool to create a cape. Then I layered it over the striped top and paired it with some pants that I made last year. The best part about these separates is that they are all interchangeable for mixing and matching. You won't see me dressed as a vampire this Halloween, but I will be donning a cape.

Made in Colorado

From Pinball Games to Woodstock: Inspiration for Spring 2015 Collections

"I want to empower women. I want people to be afraid of the women I dress."
                                                    -Alexander McQueen

Marchesa Spring 2015 RTW

Givenchy Spring 2015 RTW

At London fashion week, the design duo for Marchesa, Georgina Chapman and Keren Craig, celebrated the label's ten year anniversary at their spring 2015 ready-to-wear show. Chapman and Craig wanted to honor British icons. Fittingly, Georgia May Jagger, daughter of The Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, was the first to grace the catwalk. “She really embodies the spirit of the new collection,” said Chapman. “It’s a little bit gypsy, a little bit Woodstock and a little bit rock ’n’ roll.” Marchesa is known for their feminine chiffon dresses adorned with flowers and ruffles. Although inspired by the late sixties, this collection was still full of romanticism that Marchesa is known for.


In contrast, the late Alexander McQueen liked to explore the dark side when designing clothing and had a theatrical flare. Creative director Sarah Burton looked to McQueen's love of kimonos for her inspiration this season. She incorporated exaggerated chrysanthemum prints on pretty dresses and paired them with gladiator sandals. Apart from the disturbing face masks, this collection was astonishing from start to finish.

In Paris this week, Riccardo Tisci for Givenchy turned out a truly amazing spring collection. The styling was nothing less than perfect with black over-the-knee boots and free-flowing, boho-esque locks. When asked what his inspiration for the collection was, Tisci replied, “Flipper—the old computer pinball game—the black-and-white graphics.” How can you go wrong with lace, leather, riding coats, and pinball?

This week I wanted to make a complete look that would be fitting for the ever-changing day-to-day autumn weather. Using a Rag & Bone cotton woven fabric, I sewed a dress with a playful silhouette and included cap sleeves. Then looking to the Seargent Pepper suits worn by The Beatles as inspiration, I designed a lined coat using a Marc Jacobs wool blend tweed. Beatles biographer Jonathan Gould wrote that the Sgt. Pepper costumes "spoofed the vogue in Britain for military fashions." My coat is not as military-inspired or outlandish as the ones worn by John, Paul, Ringo, and George, but it is brightly colored, knee-length, has an exaggerated mandarin collar, and is fitted with a slight flare at the bottom. Puts me in the mood for "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds."

Made in Colorado

Jumpsuit Fever

"Anyone can get dressed up and glamorous, but it is how people dress in their days off that are the most intriguing."

                                                 -Alexander Wang

Jumpsuits have made a comeback the past few years and are still going strong in the land of high fashion. The adult onesie has been around for the past century and embraced by luminaries such as Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, and Audrey Hepburn for its style and comfort. Even Winston Churchill was famous for his "siren suit" that noted London tailors Turnbull & Asser custom made for him in blue, red, and green velvet. The one-piece-wonder is not only fashionable, but is also worn for its practicality by skydivers, race car drivers, and stage performers.

Yigal Azrouël Spring 2015 RTW

Along with other online luxury fashion retailers, matchesfashion.com has a great selection of jumpsuits for fall 2014 including designs by Balenciaga, Stella McCartney, and Rag & Bone. One of my favorites is a Saint Laurent wool-gabardine tuxedo jumpsuit listed for $3,291 that is currently sold out. "The great thing about the jumpsuit is you can embrace the high-low method of dressing – wear them with brogues or heels," says matchesfashion.com's buying manager, Suzanne Pendlebury. "They make an outfit in one, which makes life easy."

Others think the jumpsuit is giving the LBD a run for its money. It is versatile and easily transitions from day to evening. It is even being seen as a replacement for gowns on the red carpet at award shows. There is something utilitarian about the one piece look that acts somewhat as a uniform and feels empowering to wear.

With New York and London fashion weeks behind us and the beginning of fashion week in Milan, we have already seen a multitude of jumpsuits walk down the runways for spring 2015. Marc Jacobs showed loose fitting one piece militaristic pantsuits in shades of green while Yigal Azrouël opted for a more feminine lace version.

This week I designed my first pants jumpsuit. I've made one piece shorts playsuits before, but never attempted pants. As I just tweaked the pattern I recently made for a black and white top, it was quick and easy to construct the top portion of the jumpsuit. I added some blue piping and included four blue buttons down the sides of the cuffs for a pop of color.

Constructing this garment was all about measurements and getting the proportions just right for the perfect fit. It is a great transition piece for fall and will lessen the time I have to spend picking out separates in the closet (although more time spent zipping back up in the ladies' room).

Made in Colorado

High Fashion Dolls and Mannequins Unite

“The woman is the most perfect doll that I have dressed with delight and admiration.”

                                                            -Karl Lagerfeld

Behind every great collection is an enticing marketing campaign. My husband and I are what you would call magazine junkies. We look forward to the days when the latest issue of Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, InStyle, etc. (in his case, Outside and Men's Journal) arrive in the mail. There is something thrilling about opening a hot-off-the-press magazine and excitedly flipping through its glossy pages. Not only do I enjoy perusing the articles, but also poring over the ads.

Season after season, many fashion houses repeat the same old campaigns with little room for surprise - such as Calvin Klein's go-to black and white, Prada's vibrant colors with an artistic flare, and Dolce and Gabbana's luxury party scenes in the Italian countryside or by the sea. Rarely does an ad have the startling power to halt my incessant page flipping and cause me to take a second look. That's exactly what happened the first time I saw Alexander McQueen's 2014 spring/summer designs come to life in print.

The photo shoot starred Kate Moss - her first time to grace an Alexander McQueen ad -  and was captured by photographer Steven Klein on the streets of East London. Inspired by the sixties thriller "Peeping Tom" by Michael Powell, the adverts had an overall dark and foreboding vibe. Maybe this had to do with the disturbing miniature Kate Moss doll clone with shockingly yellow hair that was wearing high fashion McQueen designs? Whatever it was, it was a marketing act of genius.

Although more than a little creepy, the Kate Moss figurine had nothing on the enormous Blythe dolls used in the display windows at Bottega Veneta stores worldwide to model their 2014 spring/summer collection. Creative Director Tomas Maier said, "The collection is about freshness and Blythe is known for her uniqueness as well as her sense of style, wears it effortlessly and with confidence. The result is surreal, reflecting a dynamic combination of elegance and modernity." 

The dolls were created in the seventies and later bought by Hasbro. They are wildly popular in Japan and have freakishly large heads and eyes. It's not surprising that they drew a lot of attention for the Italian luxury goods house. 

Quite a contrast to Alexander McQueen and Bottega Veneta's marketing strategies, Marc Jacobs chose minimalism for his 2014 fall campaign. At first glance, it looks as though mannequins are wearing his designs in the photographs. But in fact, models are strategically posed to mimic the lifelessness of  mannequins. Although the Marc Jacobs print ads don't have the same impact as the peculiar dolls, they are still memorable, nonetheless.

In the last few weeks, I made a loose fitting dress out of a stunning rayon and silk jersey. I also crafted a top using a textured fabric that I have used time and time again. It is durable, washable, and feels like superhero suit fabric, not to mention that it's made in Italy. Using my dress form, I created a new pattern to give the top contrasting diagonal lines with the same fabric in white. Then I added an exposed white parka zipper down the back and paired it with high-waisted pants that I made with a subtle houndstooth pattern. Using the leftover fabric, I fashioned a matching cuff-like accessory to go with each look.

Made in Colorado

From the Battlefield to the Bride

"When I decided to get married at 40, I couldn't find a dress with the modernity or sophistication I wanted. That's when I saw the opportunity for a wedding gown business."
                                                 -Vera Wang

Parachute Wedding Dress Worn 

by Mrs. Hensinger in 1947

We are nearing the summit of peak wedding season. The average amount spent on a wedding dress is well over a grand and a Marchesa gown retails for close to $6,000 on net-a-porter.com. Quite a contrast from today's standards, brides-to-be in the 1940s had bigger concerns weighing on their minds than what type of cake they would eat or who would photograph their wedding. Many just hoped their fiancé would return home safely from the war.

War rations directly impacted fashion in the 1940s. Wool and cotton were commandeered for uniforms and other military supplies while silk and nylon were needed for parachutes. Hemlines rose and swimsuit necklines plunged as designers consciously stuck to war limitations, which led to saving fifteen million yards of fabric. Vogue reported this figure in May 1943 while giving its approval of "The Narrow Look."

Those engaged to be married didn't have the luxury of popping by a shop and choosing a wedding dress consisting of silk, lace, and tulle. If they were lucky, a parachute might blow their way . . .

Mr. Reynolds with Mrs. Reynolds Wearing
Her Parachute Silk Wedding Dress in 1946

In 1944, Major Claude Hensinger, was returning with his crew from a bombing raid over Yowata, Japan, when his engine caught fire. Major Hensinger clung to the parachute that saved his life and later gave it to his girlfriend Ruth to use for her wedding gown when he proposed. Ruth wanted her dress to resemble Vivien Leigh's in Gone with the Wind. She hired a seamstress to complete the look and became Mrs. Hensinger on July 19, 1947. Ruth signed over her dress to the Smithsonian in the 1990s.

Joyce Adney and Adrien Reynolds's story was not much different than the Hensingers'. According to the National WWII Museum of New Orleans, Mr. Reynolds and his fellow Marines stumbled upon several unused Japanese parachutes while clearing out some caves in 1944. He sent one of the parachutes back to his bride-to-be Joyce for safekeeping.

Just as many other brides did at the time, Joyce also had her wedding dress constructed out of parachute silk. Her mother, a seamstress who lived in another state, had Joyce measure her bust and waist using strings. She then mailed the strings to her mother to use as guides in sewing the dress for her big day. Although Joyce didn't have the opportunity to try on a multitude of Vera Wang and Marchesa dresses, the future Mrs. Reynolds would have quite a story to tell.

I didn't make a wedding dress, but I did incorporate two white parachute buckles into my latest design. The jacket and shorts are made out of a blue organic twill from Mood Fabrics. I included square cap sleeves and two belts (made out of the same twill fabric) and attached the parachute buckles. I also made a pair of matching high-waisted shorts to complete the look. This summer shorts suit may not have a romantic war-related backstory, but I'm just happy I didn't have to wait for a parachute to fall from the sky to make it with.

Made in Colorado

Coco's Little Black Dress

"A black so deep, so noble that once seen, it stays in the memory forever."
                                                - Coco Chanel

Coco Chanel once said, "Dress women in black or white at a ball. They will catch the eye." And she did just that. Chanel designed a little something special in 1926 that would last for generations to come . . . a little black dress. Yes, there were other black dresses at the time, but not fashionable ones worn outside of a funeral or the servants' quarters of a stately home.

In the 1920s, Chanel spent an evening at the opera and was sickened by all the flashy colors worn. She then decided to dress all those high society women in black. In November 1926, Vogue dubbed Coco's new little wonder the "Ford dress" in honor of Henry Ford's monchromatic Model T. Like the pioneering American vehicle, It was simple and it was fabulous.

Chanel said, "Before me, no one would have dared to dress in black." After the famous dress was unveiled, it soon became known as "the modern woman's uniform" and everyone was eager to replicate Chanel's style.

Karl Lagerfeld replicated the dress close to its original form for Chanel's  1999 fall collection. Its modern and chic design made it as relevant then as it was in the twenties.

After purchasing matching black and white Italian textured fabrics, I worked on getting the bottom of my dress just right. My aim was to perfectly drape it in front while angling it down in the back so that the contrasting white would show through.

Although I had never designed a dress silhouette like it before, it really worked out well and I was happy with the end result. It is simple, yet timeless as Coco Chanel's original little black dress was. Just as Coco said, "A well-tailored dress suits everyone."


Made in Kansas.