Vaunt Designs

UPDATE!

2010-10-17T01:06:00.002-04:00

I'm transferring this blog over to a new one, so please follow me there!
http://vauntd.blogspot.com/
New posts to come soon there, promise :)

this blog will self destruct in t-minus 30 days.

Cone Boobs & Cut-Outs

2010-05-23T19:37:00.007-04:00

Introducing my new mini-collection: RETROSITY!
Featuring deliciously sinful latex goodies with sock/thigh garter details, cone boobs & cut-outs, this has been a long time in the making. I’ve struggled with almost every one of the 6 pieces, and damn it feels good to be done. There is still some tweaking to be done, but they are pretty solid.
Photographed beautifully by Corwin (of course) even though he greatly dislikes doing lookbook/commerical-esque stuff, and strutted by Mosh (of course):

BUY IT HERE! Etsy
I will be honest, the shoot day was exceedingly stressful. I am already a naturally high-strung, type-A person when it comes to my work, and delays and disinertia freak me out. Thankfully everything got shot and in the end I had no complaints, but I can safely say that I am glad I won’t need to do anything like it anytime soon.
So what’s next? Well I plan on pimping this out SO HARD. I’ve started to contact magazines about potential features/covers and yes, even some advertising. I think the time has come, now that I have a pattern base that I can easily pull from and alter, that I need to do a fashion & fetish “VauntD blizkreig.” Has a nice ring to it, eh?
If you have thoughts as to what online blogs and physical indie fashion mags I should contact, let me know.

Other than the blood, sweat & tears I expelled this past month on the above, I made plans to change tactics and work with a performance group called The BAAD (Bicycle Awesome Adventure Dance) Collective:

This and the title pretty much sums it up.
I’ve done one dance piece before but this will be a whole new ball game for me. I’m traveling to Alfred, NY for the next week to work one-on-one with the dancers and make custom pieces for them. I bought some insanely bright and patterned stretch spandex and it is going to be so fun. Not a money making thing, but I’m excited to dive in and collaborate with artists again. I don’t know if I’ll be able to blog while I’m gone, but rest assured I will have some crazy stories when I return.

Random link of the day: http://phrontistery.info/fabric.html
One of the most helpful sites I've ever come across.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

I found both of these on deviantArt, by a photographer named Arthur Sysoev. The are mind-blowing amazing. The wardrobe definitely makes the shots, although the beautiful faces don’t hurt, and I for one know that I must make something similar to that huge green cotton organdy headpiece. Simple but exaggerated shapes are the way to my heart.

Manicorn.
I don’t know if you really need to know anything else.
Except for, of course, that I am going to have to make a huge rhinestone ball gag as soon as possible.

2010-04-27T19:16:00.009-04:00

It is very difficult to sum up a long trip.
Even more so when I did almost no design work.
However, I did bust my ass finishing a custom piece that I think is one of my best right before I left, traded a hat for a custom pottery piece (trading with other artists is one of the BEST things about being one), and shipped a load of stuff to a stylist in Canada. So really, my vacation was a much needed sojourn.
But I'm back and ready to work!

Corwin shot my newest hood on the lovely and fascinating (overused word, I know, but really the only accurate one) Scar:

I have been trying to find ways to push these into more fetishistic realms without being cliche, and I think this mouth spreader version is a good solution. Pretty sure I'm done making hoods for the moment, although my next step is going to be making men's versions. There is something to explore there (gender, sterotypes, floral fantasies, etc, ad infinum) so I'm going to let it percolate and then see what happens.

ALSO, you know my website is now 100% live, right? If you haven't already bookmarked http://www.vauntdesigns.com, go do it now! Almost everything on the site is for sale, and one of my plans for this week is to put it all up on etsy. I will make an announcement here and elsewhere as soon as I do so so you can buy things :D

What to do in these next two weeks: solidify the patterns I have for my ready-to-wear collection and start to make some. It's going to be small - micro sized in relation to most designers - but I want to focus on making the 3 or 4 pieces as awesome and unique as possible. Custom work is still my favorite thing to do, but these will be a great way for me to speed up my work process and get my products out there for people to buy off-the-shelf (ie. off the internet through etsy). I'm going to use the Honey colored latex I ordered from RadicalRubber and didn't like to make all the samples...who knows, maybe they'll become more than just samples with other colors added to them.
(For future reference, all the pieces in the collection are going to be dual-toned unless specifically requested.)

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

Liu Wen by Bruno Dayan

I love the tones, the way the blacks are blue and are set off by the pink/fuschia lipstick, and the bondage is intricate without moving into a fetishistic realm. Hard thing to pull off, but beautifully done.

Creepy and amazing sculpture, not sure who it's by but was part of an exhibit here in Philly. It's incredibly made, down to the very last leaf, and I love that it references both classical Greek sculptures and that culture's mythology. I <3 a well executed craft.

These sleeves are hands-down awesome. Was flipping though a pattern book on medieval costuming, and these just stood out. A separate undershirt with large billowy sleeves would usually be worn underneath, but I want to make just this out of latex. Keep your eyes peeled :)

Fetholstery For All!

2010-03-26T22:04:00.008-04:00

Been having quite the productive week! Made four more of my “Fetholstery” hoods, and I am very very pleased with how they came out. Much can be said for having a reliable pattern and taking your time to do it right.

(you know that if you click they get bigger, right?)

Top left: Cream with birds and nose strap, as well as tie/snap neck.
Top right: Sheer black & white with visor type covering over the face.
Bottom left: Silky baby pink with top ruffle and long neck straps.
Bottom right: Dark blue & green with eye holes and snap neck.

I’m also working on a pattern for a shoot at the end of April…I found this GORGEOUS sheer yellow fabric that looks like an incredible textile version of transparent latex. I bought a bunch of this puppy, so expect to see lots o’ stuff made out of it.

Since I don’t sketch I just drape and drape until I like it, then use permanent marker to dictate what needs to be done where.

Some peeps we know in Philly, Bell & Jerry Bennett, took this sweet picture of my puffy Nostalgia for Nothing jacket in our stairway. Looks neat, I like how it came out.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

Photo of Georgie Bee, taken by Peter Ashworth. I love the color combination, the juxtaposition of digital graphics and digital photograph, and of course the pointe shoes.

Similar in color scheme is this bathing suit I almost got off eBay a long while ago. It was deadstock from some 80’s company, and I wish I’d bought it. Ah, well, I think I’ll replicate the design on some latex.

Laz

2010-03-17T16:01:00.007-04:00

It’s been one of those kind of lazy weeks.
Dealing with roof leaks & postal mix-ups.
Sheeting should be here early next week, so I can finally start working again.

Finishing this client piece today. I like how it looks…what can I say, it’s fun to destroy something, break it down, then rebuild it. We shall call it CLOTHINGCYBORG. (Yes, it has matching pants.)

Corwin shot my lookbook (basically a portfolio of boring, on white background pics of all my pieces) on the lovely Sophie Nova…they will be posted on my upcoming website by the end of the month. Thankfully he managed to also take a couple awesome shots like this one so he didn’t die of boredom:

What this also means for you is that ALL MY OLDER PIECES ARE NOW FOR SALE. They are prototypes, so they have some minor flaws, but they are fun nonetheless. If you want anything you’ve seen on here, please email me at vaunt designs@gmail.com.

Mosh posted this cute & creepy pic on her blog of her wearing the bunny hood. So excited to see pictures.

Depressing point: the glue that I was attempting to mix together to make my own formula failed miserably. Thankfully I only used it on some decorative pieces since I had a feeling it wouldn’t work, but now I’m back to square one. Sigh. Another endless quest.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

Inka Essenhigh has been one of my favorite artists for a long time. Everything she paints looks like it’s being pulled apart but never breaking, stretching but filled with some inhuman viscous substance that never pops. The organic shapes look like natural themes but distorted like fingers in a river. I’d love to take inspiration from them and do a huge liquid latex & applique on a transparent latex piece.
Ok, enough art babble, ha.

Picture by Barry Goyette…my favorite of the work he’s posted. Lovely texture in both the water and the shirt, combining. And I have a thing for floral upholstery type print, as you well know.

Saw this on deviantArt last summer- the illustrator is Laura Bifano. Looks like a song somehow, or a dream.

YES.

2010-03-09T23:55:00.004-05:00

My first real tear- oh the excitement!! 4PM Magazine, based out of Milwaukee. Go get a copy if you're in the area! (High quality scans coming soon- these are just the digital snap shots.)
All wardrobe designed, made, and styled by me.
I also did the hair, but it's nothing too crazy to speak of.

*(if you click it gets much bigger)*

Shot by TH Taylor, with lovely models whose names I will add in later.
Thanks to everybody, you were all so awesome to work with!

Here's to 2010 being the year of professional editorial tears & being a real business.

5 Week Wish

2010-03-09T20:29:00.012-05:00

These are the days when I attempt to stop freaking out.
To stop stressing about the move, which is now past.
To stop trying to control all of my situations.

I’m having a 50% success rate.

My extended break from the blog was not at all intended and I have missed it, gotta admit. So much traveling, so much packing, so much goings-on, it would take just as long to tell and as it did to live. So I will try not to barrage your eyes with it all, but enjoy the picture heavy posting.

When we stopped in the Ozarks to see my favorite people Amanda & Chase, she was nice enough to pose in my 2nd “Fetholstery” hood:

More thrift store fabric, this time a floral curtain. The mouth guard attaches on the left side with a garter clip, ‘cause it just wasn’t QUITE feminine enough.
I like how it came out a lot, although I hate cameras I decided.

Viva Van Story + Mosh is a pretty killer combo, and I love how the pics they created with my sock garter girdle prototype came out. Damn girl is so bendy it’s hard to get a normal head on shot, haha.

This one is now in the trash because it wasn’t right (wrong gage, some mis-gluing, what can I say it was made before I apprenticed with Vex and became AWESOME), but I’ve perfected it and the design will be for sale soon.

I also made Mosh another goodie for a super incredible photographer, Marla Rutherford.

Bunnybunnybunny.
Latex sock garter leotard with hood combo.
It was just shot today, and I’m anxiously awaiting the final edits. I almost killed myself trying to finish it before the move to Philly- I’m talking almost 12 straight hours of work. I was so mentally and physically drained but it was certainly worth it. The ears inflate(!) and though they aren’t perfect I sort of feel like it’s the first truly professional piece I’ve made. It’ll be on sale soon, so if you’re on MM keep checking the market.
Did you know that putting something inflatable underwater and then squeezing lets you find exactly where the air leaks are coming from???? Yeah, now ya do.

Corwin also shot my Valkyrie and Moulfon hoods on the stunning and fucking hilarious Jade Vixen:

As you can tell, we are a great team ;) The Valkyrie one is supposed to be in a column in Marquis this coming month, but we’ll see if it actually happens. I sure hope so!

I bought this magazine at an antique store the other day. No words can describe its glory.
[The second one was a drawing inside- I love that she’s wearing heels on her feet. Next project: make high-heel-ending gloves. There must be a way to do it.]

It’s now hanging on my wall above my work table. My parents though it was…interesting. Ha. They’re never surprised by any of my antics anymore. I'm sure my sisters will just looooove it when they come to visit. Double HaHa.

Now enjoy my badly sketched, but going to be amazing custom pieces that I’m working on:

"Industrial apocalypse" suit modification for a smoking hot local guy. I’m going to be distressing it and adding chain and metal and leather.
[If you can’t afford to buy something custom from me, I also do modifications of ready made garments like this- contact me for more info! (vauntdesigns@gmail.com)

Futuresex nurse for Sophie Nova.

Gothic Lolita inspired latex jacket & ruffled skirt. Not my usual style, but I’m making it for a photographer’s lovely wife as a birthday present and I’m really excited to work on it. All pewter & black latex goodness.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

If you don’t think a gigantic bunny made out of mattress is cool, you have no soul.
(or sense of humor)

Ruff & Ready

2010-02-01T14:48:00.005-05:00

This past week was all about preparing for the weekend's shoot. I didn't want to say too much out loud because I didn't want to jinx it, but I'm excited to share all the details now!

I had contacted TH Taylor to see if he would be interested in shooting my humble self (ie. ass), yet being as how it was early in the morning before work I accidentally sent it from my designer account. This worked to my benefit, as he was currently searching for someone to supply wardrobe & style a cover and 6-page layout for a magazine! He is the creative director for 4PM Mag based out of Milwaukee, and while their distribution is small the print quality is pretty good, and I'm not about to complain about my first real tear!

TH wanted something fresh and very "Spring," which was difficult because my penchant for dead animals pieces and rich tones is decidedly "Autumn." I decided to make 2 pieces using white/cream as the base color, and then use bright yellow and kelly green for the accents. They came out quite nicely I think:

Ruffleize leotard, latex.
The top ruffles popped off when putting it on the model, so I forced the poor dear to stay in it for over 2 hrs while hair/make-up was getting done and another outfit was getting shot. Hopefully she doesn't hate me.
I need to add reinforcements on the top today so that doesn't happen again.

Circlecut dress, latex.
This is just the top half of it, but I love the shoulder detailing so much. I based it off a runway piece that I saw in a magazine, but I can't for the life of me remember the name or season.

I also made a matching hat (named Monacle En Green) which I quite like (I think this is going to be on the cover, whoohoo!):

Has glass ornaments, chain, metal hoops, latex, feathers, and my favorite pleated rufle-y goodness. The glass is RIDICULOUSLY fragile, I had to completely redo it once because they broke.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

Photo by Grainpusher.

Photo of Her Highness Lady Gaga at the Grammy's.

Outfit by Armani Prive.

Mess Up, Modify

2010-01-25T22:53:00.005-05:00

Just got an image back from Corwin of the colorful '80s-style leotards I made at the beginning of the year! Model is the lovely and epic-ly wonderful Sophie King.

The back part of the neckline gaped a bit so I had to put in a dart and some extra detailing. (The bottoms also needed to be cut slightly higher.) That’s the secret to good design though: WHEN YOU MESS UP, MODIFY.
I had pretty huge scare along those lines at work last week. I was trying to take apart some seams on a custom dress, which was A. a couple years old and B. had already been worn, so they were really fragile. Try as I might to be careful, I succeeded in ripping not once twice but three times before I had to hand it to Laura and admit my defeat…sometimes you just have to know your limits. The wonderful part was we did some reworking and managed to both make the adjustments needed and keep it looking awesome. Thank fucking god or I probably would have cried. I’m bad with failure, what can I say. I’m kind of an Type-A like that.

So I’m fairly certain I’ve mentioned I’m kind of obsessed with sex. Not sure why, but have been since I was little, sneaking looks at Playboy and telling BDSM stories at slumber parties(no joke). Because of this, and because they are awesome, my friends sometimes send me these kinds of things:

In case you can’t tell from the lousy cell phone pic, it says “Forbidden Frankenstein” and the plot is straight up b&w drawn porn, HUGE franken-dick included. It's pretty magical. Yet another thing to love about the early '90s!

Random note: I am continuing my discovery and love of “M” named bands. This week it is Murder by Death & (the) Mars Volta. My music obsessed ex would have a heart attack at the fact that I’m expanding my musical boundaries.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

Damn you Viktor & Rolf, for stealing all the neat ideas before anyone else can think of it/get the funds and labor needed to do so.
The first questions that came to my head when I saw this were: was the petticoat dyed before or after the cutting? And what machine did the cutting? I’m pretty sure it was done after, and with a laser cutter, but who knows.

I’ve always loved this piece by Beth Church. I must analyze and find a way to do something similar, but with my own twist of course. I love the layer-ing, the chunky-ness, and the ornate-ness of it all.

Trajectory

2010-01-18T20:01:00.012-05:00

A day late, I know, but it’s a big one to make up for it!

My man and I (aka Corwin Prescott) are going to be guest bloggers on Late Night Feelings (FLGS) for the next 10 days! Some posts will be individual, some will be joint, but never doubt that it will be entertaining and full of naked goodies. We even got our own wizards drawn! Every time I look at it I fucking die of laughter:

I’ve been working on 2 latex hoods for a shoot with Jade Vixen at the end of February. I’m making a transparent pink one with 3-D blue wings and this pink & green ram horn one:

Thanks so much to Vex for letting me use their pattern :)
I can’t describe how much I love making headgear. Truly, so much fun. And now that I have my latex technique almost down pat, things go so much faster as well!

I saw the above painting at the Chicago Art Instutite, can‘t remember the artist and the colors aren't true to life but I love them together . The shape makes me happy too and reminds me of this dress I made for Mosh (photo by Beguiling Images):

So I finally updated my resume and put together my portfolio into a PDF so I could apply to another internship. I’m in the talks with someone in Philly (so exciting & nerve-wracking) I’ll let you know if/when it’s definite. Since I can’t go interview with her, she asked me a bunch of questions that I found really thought provoking and I thought I’d share a couple.

What are your goals as a designer?
My goals are hard to pinpoint since I've found that I work best when I let life flow organically. My pieces just sort of come out, make themselves made in a way. Part of me just wants to keep creating and living off artists grants and selling the works to people who see them as art. I crave structure though, so I would like to somehow be involved in a creative group that has a purpose. This sounds silly but being part of Lady Gaga's creative/design team is the best example of what I'd like to be involved in. I love performance and performers, I love making what is outside of the everyday. I also want to be involved in what I see as the "new craft"- the community of people who are pushing traditional fields such as knitting and DIY and embroidery to new, fresh, modern levels. I think there is still a division between "craft" and "art" and I want to be able to straddle the two with apparel, which I think is the perfect medium to do so with.

Do you see your future in fetish apparel, art for the body or high end fashion or somewhere in between? Truly, somewhere in between. Fetish & fashion have co-existed and intertwined for ages, it just hasn't been as apparent (ie. on the runway) as it has been in the last 20-30 years. My sexuality & fetishes are things that are both important to me and what I draw inspiration from, but again I don't want to be boxed into one category (talk about boring). I just want to make work that is honestly and authentically me, and I don't want to be bored. I don't want to bore others. It is another reason why I want to work with more fabrics besides latex, so I can combine them. There is a big trend for latex designers to aim for high fashion, and I feel lucky that I'm starting out with that in mind from the get-go.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

Ad for SPORTMAX. The chest panel in insane, I’m so jealous I didn’t think of it.

A friend sent me this a while ago, the design is so awesome. By Erte.

Rise

2010-01-11T03:11:00.012-05:00

I feel the waves turning back up.
This past week at Vex I worked 2 solid days on an inflatable train and jacket and it made me realize that I am definitely on the right path. I loved working on it, all through the challenges and insane amount of pleating. I wouldn’t want to be doing anything else. In that I am very thankful.

I have so many wonderful opportunities and shoots coming up, some I don’t want to mention just yet so as not to jinx them, but suffice to say as soon as they are done/definite you will know.
What I can tell you:

~ An outfit of mine worn by Apnea, shot by Steve Prue of TeamRockstarImages, will be featured on one of my favorite blogs, Haute Macabre! I’m not sure when it goes up, but believe you me I will be posting that EVERYWHERE once it is.
(A personal side note about Apnea/Amanda. She is such a wonderful, sweet, strong person and I am so glad to have gotten closer to her in the past few months as well as been able to dress her. I can’t wait to go back to the Ozarks to see her and Chase.)

~ I have beautiful photographic evidence of my cone boob garter dress (taken by Corwin Prescott, of course, worn by the bangin’ Stephy C)! It’s still not 100% perfected but I am much likely how it is coming along. This as well as a cone boob bra and a special girdle will be the only pieces in my ready to wear collection, Retrosity (debuting in March):

~ I am collaborating with a friend of mine, Lenora Jayne (her site here) to have her make drawings/paintings of some of my pieces! The first one I requested for her to take inspiration from is my Nostalgia For Nothing jacket (photo by Corwin, of Apnea):

Once in a while I am very lucky to wear another latex designer’s creations (in this case House of Bias) and have Corwin (again, :P) take a picture of me in them. I think this is one of my favorite shots of myself to date:

Three random thoughts of the day:
*Sometimes I look at my wrists and they look freakishly small, like they're skeletor wrists that will snap off at any minute.
*I think it might be fun to move to LA- not sure about constant summer/fall though.
*I am really into 3Ms right now: Modest Mouse, Matisyahu, & Mussorgsky.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

Dress by Madeleine Vionnet, 1939.

“A Lady in a Fur Wrap,” El Greco.

Forgot where I got this, off someone’s tumblr. Anyone know and I’ll add the credit.

This is not a New Year's resolution

2010-01-03T23:10:00.016-05:00

Well, in some ways it is but I’d rather not call it such. But I am pledging to be a more active blogger, if not for you lovelies than for my awful memory. So let us begin (again)!

As I’ve mentioned before, I am in a state of flux. I feel myself gradually becoming more stable as my technical skills increase, but I still feel dissatisfied. While being comfortable is often the death of creativity, it would be nice to be happier.

On to more positive things!
Two of the four new pieces I’ve made to start this decade off right:

Black & transparent latex top with big glittery bows. What can I say, I’ve been listening to and watching Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance” constantly. She’s getting’ in my subconscious!
I’ve been playing around with adding glitter to latex, and what I’ve discovered is that it works best on accents and not on the body of a piece. It has a tendency to come off with the application of lube and rubbing/stretching, but when on little things like these I’m able to put a protective shellac on top.
I made it with the gorgeous Lily Hex in mind, but her boobs were just too big! So I need to find a hot dark haired model in the Chicago area for Corwin to shoot it on.

Pleated neckpiece.
Sometimes I feel like a sculptor when I work with fabric. I put it on the dress form and try to “listen” to what it wants to do, and then I manipulate it. The only problem with this process is that it can take weeks and weeks to finish something. I love where this one is going, but I’m unhappy with it. It’s not resolved. It needs something more…more bulk around the top I think. And maybe some velvet embellished accents. Don’t know, I’ll have to see. Corwin just finished shooting it but I wasn’t sure…I have to stop getting things shot when they aren’t 100% yet. Oh well, looked cool anyways.

The other two pieces I finished are pretty 80’s, I won’t lie. They are brightly colored leotards with crazy mutli-colored straps and “tails.” They are really cute & really funny. I also made a Goth-y-er version for Apnea to wear for Steve Prue as a feature on Haute Macabe (one of my favorite blogs). All of them have been photographed but I’m just waiting to get the files back. Will share when I have them.

And lastly, some personal visual inspiration:

Photo by Chase Lisbon:

Screenprint by Danielle Lange:

I’m going to try to update at least once a week, hopefully 2x a week. See you then!

Departure

2009-10-15T16:05:00.006-04:00

Off to New York today, flight leaves in a few hours.
1 shoot of sexy shiz with a friend.
1 shoot of beauty portraits with thrift store finds.
1 shoot (paid) that probably won't happen.
1 shoot with my newest design in a plastic forest.
1 meeting with a up-and-coming musician about a stage outfit.

So much is going on in the next month and half. So much travel, so many good things. I'm very lucky to be able to do what I love. Even though what I love to do will probably evolve over time, I hope to only do what I want and what I need.
No fear.
Fear is a killer.
I've noticed so many people are scared to just DO, and just BE. Yes, making money is necessary, but it should not be at the expense of your mental and spiritual health. If you hate your job, truly cannot stand it, QUIT. It's not worth it. Yes your purse strings and waistband might be tighter, but don't sacrifice yourself for what is essentially temporal.
And so ends my "spiritually enlightened pep talk." lol.

I recently dropped $650 on two new machines: a Rimoldi Industrial Serger and Singer Industrial Sewing Machine. I'm so sick of having the pieces that I make not be quite right, quite professional grade. It's a lot of money to spend, but I consider it a worthwhile investment.
I also rearranged my apartment and working space so that it flows better and better accommodates the person that is moving in.
Pictures to come.

Gotta fly (literally!).
Enjoy some boobs & beauty to break up all this word mess.
Hair & Make-up: Josh & Rae
Model: Chrystyne

"Finished" is the most beautiful word in the human language.

2009-09-29T19:16:00.007-04:00

I've been so busy it's almost too much. I say almost because in all honesty I would much rather be busy than not. One of my biggest pet peeves (and there are quite a few, let me tell you) is when people are bored and/or say they are bored. There is no excuse for boredom! Go do something! Sitting and whining is not going to fulfill you or improve your current situation. Everyone has the potential to be creative and everyone can carve out satisfaction for themselves if they try hard enough. It's not as easy as complaining, but as I realized yet again today while getting exceedingly angry at my sewing machine and my elementary skills at using it, nothing worthwhile is easy. You know it's sad but true.

Don't be comfortable.

Don't stop striving for perfection.

But give yourself a break if you aren't quite there yet.

In light of that, let us now share recently completed projects:

"Nostalgia for Nothing" jacket. Polyester lining, bamboo batting, poly fiber stuffing, polyester white mesh & black organza.

Getting shipped to Planet Hair in Witchita, KS for their annual hair show/fundraiser.

Black semi-stretch weave with silver vinyl cut-out detailing hat-lette. I love the shape of this one, will definitely have to experiment with it some more.

This and the matching dress were a request by Mosh for her upcoming red carpet & shoot with Lithium Picnic.

Silver & fushia latex w/ silver netting hat-lette. Matches a super secret design & pasties, available soon!

Going to Mosh to shoot with Viva Van Story.

Rubber & knit drip dress. Done a long while ago, finally finished the last bits.

Going to Mosh to shoot with Lithium Picnic.

Raw edged cream silk & blue velvet dress with muslin mis-prints by my good friend Danielle Lange. The velvet part is actually an old jacket from Jet Rag thrift in LA that I chopped up. DIYwin!

I also do modifications of pre-existing latex. I did the bow & line detailing on these gloves as per Anna Evans's request to match a design I made for her.

Black velvet & plastic mesh dress.

Getting shipped to Planet Hair in Witchita, KS for their annual hair show/fundraiser.

Orange fun fur top. There's something to be said for ugly.

Getting shipped to Planet Hair in Witchita, KS for their annual hair show/fundraiser.

And a little peak at two upcoming projects, which will be done by the weekend:

Shite-ton of latex bows. (Next to my favorite leopard spotted grandma coat.)

For "The Welcome Home Party" on Saturday at a friend's studio.

Yellow tracks collar. Was a super ugly thrifted foam hat until I got my grubby paws on it.

Getting shipped to Planet Hair in Witchita, KS for their annual hair show/fundraiser.

That is all.

Share.

Discuss.

How VEX-ing

2009-09-13T12:27:00.003-04:00

I started at Vex Clothing last week and I have nothing but good things to say. Granted I can't say very much because I have to keep everything I learn under wraps but you know what I mean :) I've already learned so much and my boss is anal about the work but chill as a person so it's the best environment. She also has the sweetest boxer ever that lies on a red velvet pillow and occasionally sniffs my butt as I glue. Every day I work I get more inspired to do my own projects. Expect more picture heavy posts as I progress!

Example of the awesome-ness that is Laura's (the creator/designer of Vex) designs:

Inflatable skirt & large hats FTW!

Chicago Stat

2009-09-13T11:26:00.010-04:00

It's been a long while, I know. I have been remiss in my duties! But I swear I have a good excuse. Moving is never easy, and it is especially difficult when moving over a thousand miles away and having miscommunication mess up what was promised & expected. In any case, I am now settled in Chicago (finally)!

But to recap:

Philly was great for the most part. I really fell in the love with the city and am highly thinking of going back after my apprenticeship here is done at the end of February. I wasn't as productive as I would have liked, but I got to fit & create three custom pieces (including the Goth-iest fascinator hat ever) for Anna Evans and fit Jade Vixen for a dress I will be making soon. Excitement! Will post pictures as I have them.

SIDE NOTE: Speaking of Goth, I'm 100% certain it is making a comeback in a big way. Not just in fashion since black & deathly has always been an inspiration, I'm talking more about lifestyle and look. The last serious resurgence died in 1999/2000 so it's so awesome to see it returning! Check out my favorite fashionista blog for all things Haute Macabre.

Photo break:

I started doing a self portrait/poetry collaboration project with Corwin Prescott a few weeks ago and this is one of my favs so far:

like birch. (you could taste)

To see the rest, go to my DeviantArt.

He also took an amazing photo of a top I made:

Model: Poses

Silver & black leather, black silk organza.

We are mutually obsessed with each other's work :D

Also re-edited an older photo of an head piece I made ages ago:

I need to rework it because it didn't quite fit but I love the big bow! Sheer black pleated polyester, leather, huge rhinestone.

And my beautiful friend Najy posed for me in the old elevator in my building wearing a GORGEOUS late 50's/early 60's dress:

SIDE NOTE: Do NOT put vintage in the washing machine! Do NOT go to a dry-cleaner that has no idea what they're doing and puts vintage in a washing machine! It will RUIN the garment! I had to perform emergency surgery and resuscitation on this piece because of someone else's fuck up. It was a crime what was done to it. The fabric had shattered on the inside hem & cuffs, the belt became detached, the beading is much weaker and some had to be re-sewn, and it shrunk a half size.

WHEN IN DOUBT, HAND WASH! Directions.

Sliver of Grey

2009-08-05T01:15:00.006-04:00

Well, more like a huge swatch of it.

Just finished working on this:

I picked up this lovely blue/grey tablecloth at the Salvation Army. I'm a sucker for the shine & matte combo so there was no way I was leaving with out it.

It's going to need some boning to make it all stick out the way it's supposed to, and I think there will be black accents but I can't decide. Maybe red? Thoughts?

I'm not sure which side is the front either...will have to see how it looks on a body.

Also just got this image of titwillow in the hat I made for her, by RedRum Collaboration:

Sweet. I thought her hair was going to be dark blue hence the pale pink satin but *shrug*.

Also. I really really like mexican wrestling masks. Especially gold ones. Especially when I'm wearing them in a park while homeless men talk to me. Yes.

And just 'cause he's such a cutie and I am completely, 100% in love with my new Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lens.

(I know it's blurry, sorry, technique goes out the window when I'm just trying to capture.)

CorWIN.

In Philly! and...

2009-07-28T12:52:00.011-04:00

working on this for titwillo:

Pale pink satin with maroon feathers/lace and white tulle/fringe. Leather lining.

And this for my love Mosh:

Last week I stopped into NYC for SpinExpo, which was both good and not so good. I wasn't impressed by many of the vendors (boring or outdated yarns/textiles) but the ones I was impressed by blew my mind.

My hands down favorite was the Japan-based Sato Seni Co. and M. & Kyoko, who are making some extremely interesting and innovative pieces. Think weird fur, knit paisley print, knitted plastic mesh, and swatches that look like they were ripped right off moss-y trees. I was particularly glad to see that they thought of the whole concept- things were hung with hangers made from real branches and others were afixed to traditional Japanese fans. Love it!

My other favorite had to be Meadowbrook Inventions's Angelina fibers. They are doing something I haven't seen before: metal (copper and aluminum) coated filament yarns! Amazing!! They are beautiful to behold- a basketful of the bright copper ones looks like some weird glob of sparkly space matter. I was immediately inspired by it and I have big plans for combining it with rubber. Stay tuned!

STOLL was also doing some groundbreaking rubber/heat sealed seams that worked perfectly with their current sportswear line. I'd love to learn more about the process and see how it could be done on a more fetish, avant garde level. Moral of the story: I need to go to Japan & Germany STAT!

What I was disappointed by the most was the fashion show. After seeing Giovanni Cavagna's booth I was super excited to see his show, yet it was such a let-down. I don't know who did the art direction for it but they are seriously lacking: the pieces were boring shapes and colors and the heavy, bronzed/dark lip make-up and gaudy gold jewelry were seriously outdated. Let's step it up for next year!

I also got to meet up with Doe Deere, who I can honestly say is one of the coolest, most solid, and interesting people I've met in a long time. I did a fitting with her (the piece is going to be so sick!) and we had a lovely lunch as well as talked about some crazy make-up ideas that I'll be working on for her. It's gonna be very much a win-win situation.

After the city I went back to Providence to see friends and screen print, which I'd never done before. First I got a little crazy and did an idea I've had in my head for a while, a bloody hand print dress:

I wound up absolutely hating it but it was fun while I was doing it (the clean-up, not so much). It doesn't feel deliberate, and it's too much, so I think I'll take the dress apart and use it as fabric for something else. We'll see.

NOTE: I usually don't do gore-y stuff as a rule, as I do not support violence & torture. But I was feeling angry and since the title of the piece is "I was going to stab him just a little bit but got carried away," I think you can figure out why.

I did like how this came out though:

Baby heads!!!

I bought the organza shirt at a thrift store & loved it but wanted to make it more unique. Jenna & Danielle helped me on it and it looks pretty awesome & creepy (a great combination) if I do say so myself.

As always, check out my Etsy! New stuff will be added as soon as it's photographed.

Fascinating

2009-07-15T16:32:00.006-04:00

More fascinator hats = win! Wikipedia: "fascinator."

All made with hat frames from PatternStudio.com...they're awesome & have great customer service. Highly recommend. Hat frames are made from buckram, if you want to make them yourself. I haven't, since the process is too involved to be practical, but it could be fun.

Sorry, these are not PETA friendly. I use real leather, not gonna apologize. But that's a whole 'nother post.

Photography: Corwin Prescott

I've been making a lot of these hats with hearts of different kinds...not sure why. Maybe I'm looking for love? Nah, I bet I just like shape :)

Go to Etsy & buy them!

July is a much better month

2009-07-14T01:53:00.011-04:00

First and foremost: I got an apprenticeship in Chicago with Vex! I am insanely excited, I'm going to learn so, so much. It's not Europe, but I hope to go abroad after this one is done at the end of February. The focus will be on designers and artists who are using my other love, plastic. I'd like to also experiment with other unusual materials, and I have a few people in mind, but any thoughts?

Etsy shop is now open! Only a couple things are up at the moment, but never fear more is forthcoming. I promise to try my best to make pricing both affordable and artist-sustaining.

Corwin Prescott took some amazing photos of the hats, this is my fav so far:

model: Anna Evans

Keep it coming, honey bunny!

Philly was amazing. I sold 15 of my modified t-shirt dresses (halter neck):

Haha, Dragonforce! Priceless.

Super fun, comfy, and cute! Will be photographing and posting the ones that didn't sell, and at only $20 a pop plus free shipping they're a steal!

I will actually be moving up to Phila. for all of August because I have friends, old & new, there that I can collaborate and have fun with. DC gets mighty lonely sometimes :(

Also, speaking of artists and deals, I'm offering something awesome that RedRum Collaboration & I cooked up. Buy an elaborate or custom piece from me, and they will shoot a portrait of you...absolutely free! Here's an awesome shot they did of Mosh:

So you heard that right, you get rewarded for buying something you needed to have in your wardrobe anyways! Email me at vauntdesigns@hotmail.com for more information, or message me on ModelMayhem.

Stop, TWITTER time!

Neu

2009-07-02T20:14:00.012-04:00

I know it's been a long while...but back with a vengeance!

First order of business:

As I'm sure some of you know, I was one of 10 recipients of the Windgate Fellowship, given by the Center for Craft, Creativity & Design (CCCD) at UNC! Without going into long winded depth about my proposal, the gist of it was to go abroad and study with latex & plastic designers as a way to further my skills when it comes to unconventional materials.

However, as much as I hate to admit it, I have run into major stumbling blocks when it comes to doing what I've proposed. Latex companies are small, as the fetish industry is by its nature a niche market. While some have done a certain amount of crossover into mainstream fashion by supplying gloves & stockings to haute designers, it remains a small world. Because of this, I have found it extremely difficult to find a place to apprentice. Not because my work is not up to par, but simply because there is no space to be had in their workrooms. I have applied to 10 companies, both nationally and internationally, and out of those only 3 are maybes. Needless to say, this has been extremely depressing and disheartening. At the moment, all I can do is continue to work on my own projects, look for other venues to explore, and wait.

And I am terrible at waiting.

Alright, enough moaning and groaning! I will attempt to be happy goddamnit and at least I have my one true love: my work. In that vein, here are the pieces I am currently working on:

Inspired by a ferry's wake in NYC, I call this one "Nostalgia for Nothing" because that's what I was feeling at the time. I felt a yearning for something, but there wasn't anything to really yearn for. Sort of looks vaguely kabuki, although I'm not quite sure why I think that.

Ingredients: Soft cotton, bamboo lining, polyester batting (stuffing), white stretchy mesh, & black polyester organza.

Thinking about the circus & ringleaders for Jessica LaBlanche.

I love buying thigs from thrift stores and DIY-ing it into something awesome and new. The pleated fushia bottom piece started out as a pair of polyeseter leggings, and is now slowing becoming a skirt with garters. The top is a cotton suit jacket that I cut & folded into a zombie-fied version of it's original self (polyester organza will be put in the shoulders and chest).

Yellow secret for Doe Deere.

Orange furry & teal secret for Debbi.

All the parts for a high necked collar. I cannot even describe how long it took to make the pattern for it! You'd think it would be easy but oh no, to get that shit to lie flat is incredibly difficult. Reinventing the wheel sucks but that's what you have to do if you want an original pattern.

Ingredients: vinyl, silk organza, blue gemstones from my grandma, and red lacing.

Also, for your entertainment and my record, my fabric & knitting studio (my latex studio is in the basement and isn't finished being set up yet):

Lastly, two little photo treats:

My lovely friend Chelsea, shot with my brand new Canon 5D Mark II. Watch out for videos coming soon!!!!

And a friend of a friend, Zane, shot on Governor's island in a run-down house.

669 Polaroid.

Website

2009-02-27T02:14:00.003-05:00

Working on the design for my website...I may divide it into two sites, one for apparel/textiles (ie. vauntdesigns.com) and one for photo/video/design (ie. amyfries.com). May still do it but not sure.

(((click for bigger image)))

I'm pretty set on the layout but I'm having problems with the font & color choice...thoughts, comments, suggestions?

Providence Werkstatte

2009-02-25T21:19:00.003-05:00

Currently......shoulder extravaganza!

Machine knit blue linen & fushia cotton.

The shoulder bulbs are squishy! I like the technique enough that I'd like to try doing it all over a piece.

Haven't decided what to do for the bottom....I always prefer to make full outfits as opposed to just one half. Any thoughts? I'm out of both yarns, so I need to think outside the box.

And I'm super super excited about my film class! Check out what I've made so far:

33 Ghosts IV

14 Ghosts II

(sorry for the low quality- youtube uploads badly.)

Both have music from NIN's Ghosts album, and the songs are courtesy of a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0 US license.

They aren't the full songs, and they're definitely not perfect, but I plan on going back and redoing both of them sometime this semester.

Finishing...

2009-02-08T19:29:00.000-05:00

...up this today:

More machine knitting, combo of short rowing and vertical transfer techniques.

Overload

2009-02-06T23:19:00.001-05:00

Oh, the joys of photographing! (haha, sometimes it does make me incredibly happy.)

Quite happy with these...not done editing the whole set yet but keep your eyes peeled for more soon!

My favorite from the shoot, and the one I'm using for my show :D

Suffice to say backlighting makes me want to touch myself with happiness.

Better shot of the garment:

Black plastic, hand gathered into bulbous growths.

Again, dinner plates are really handy to make circles with...I've also found that using white-out as a way to mark shapes/outlines/where to cut/etc. is very helpful. It shows up well and scrapes off once dry.

Machine knit collar using double treaded white polyester yarns, short rowing technique. Super secret liquid latex formula to make the spill, and hand plated rosettes to top it off.

RINGFLASH = SEXXX.

Plastic, hand pleated to look like a vagina & clit ;)

The background sort of looked like a womb, which was awesome...I'll have more full body shots when I finish editing them.

GOLDEN

2009-02-01T01:59:00.000-05:00

Finally got around to editing my other favorite shot from a shoot over Thanksgiving:

VERY happy with how the overall feel came out- looks like she's almost floating. Funny, one of my friends just mentioned that much of my work is "ground-less," ie. I place my models in very detached places. LOL.

Lots of in-camera Canon 40D goodness, then post processing in Photoshop CS3.

Model is the lovely Mosh.

Red & gold latexxxxx.

Collar

2009-01-31T20:23:00.003-05:00

From today:

White polyester yarns double threaded in the knitting machine, short rowing technique.

Super secret latex formula for the drip.

YAY for combining knits and latexxx!

Reminds me a lot of abstract drawings I was doing freshman year.

Plastiky

2009-01-30T20:38:00.001-05:00

From today:

Hard to see - the detail gets lost - but it's black plastic with hand scrunched bulbous forms and 3 big pleats in the center.

NOTE: I've found that using dinner plates as templates for circles is both convenient and useful.

Finishing up a collar tonight and (hopefully) a silver & black leather corset-style piece (can't call it a real corset because there is no boning).

Shooting on Sunday, will have better images then!

Queer

2009-01-23T21:57:00.000-05:00

Long time no see....

My holiday break was mostly unproductive. Did personal stuff and made gifts....I did modify an old pvc bodysuit into a jacket and make a dress out of plastic mesh and a thrifted velvet dress, but the shoot that they were meant for (as well as a latex shoot) were cancelled. Ah, well, c'est la vie.

B A C K TO S C H O O L

Taking a machine knitting class- IT'S AMAZING! I'm definitely in the wrong major. I wish that I'd even THOUGHT about textiles when I was a freshman. Now I just have to take what I can get and try not to be bitter.

A piece I started today:

Two polyester yarns (I'm drawn to all the pretty synthetic fibers- surprise surprise!) knitted using a short rowing technique. The open areas will get filled in with big, sculptural pieces that will (hopefully) look like some kind of bulbous body parts.

It was a pretty freeform process...started out trying to make something totally different and when the yarns started fucking up I changed my direction and got this instead!

I've made a dozen 12" x 40" (thereabouts) samples and two collars, one of which I'm finishing now and will hopefully post about tomorrow!

F U R T H E R M O R E

I want to start doing short film vignettes...imagine my photographs come to life. No real narrative, just visual imagery. I suppose the closest comparison would be artsy commercials.

In light of such recent personal discoveries, I want this:

Canon 5D Mark II

It shoots HD VIDEO!!! and takes beautiful super high resolution still images!!! And it's (only) $3,000!!! Sounds like a worthwhile investment to me.

Sooooo, my next big project is going to be a collaboration between myself and Thea, a model I've been working with who is also an incredible contortionist/airialist. She's very good on a lyra, which is basically a suspended hoop:

Thea at Circus Smirkus!

The collaboration will combine "Stroke of Luck" by Garbage, a performance that she choreographs based on the song, an outfit I'm designing that will also be inspired (somewhat) by the song, and then filming it all. It'll only be a couple minutes long, but it should be pretty epic.

Tentative sketch:

Hard to see, and it's not colored, but it'll be a silver latex bodysuit, with black & purple latex straps on the side, and straight accents coming down from the neck and up from the ankles. I unfortunately can't add lots of extra stuff that I'd like (collar pieces, bulbous shoulders, etc.) because she needs to be able to move and not die because of the costume hindering her.

L A S T L Y

Fangoria magazine interviewed me.

I'm not into gore and B-list slasher films (fans of which the mag is geared toward) but they wrote a very nice piece about me :)

Reliquary

2008-12-05T12:08:00.000-05:00

From my shoot with Mosh over Thanksgiving break:

Red & gold latex poncho top & tri-tiered skirt.

Only photoshop is hue/saturation changes. Straight outta camera ftw!
More images and clothing construction details to come soon.

GAH FINALS!!!

Socialist Fashionist

2008-12-04T18:45:00.000-05:00

This article was extremely interesting:
Luxury Prices Are Falling; the Sky, Too.

As I read I couldn't help but wonder: is it really a bad thing that stores are being forced to list designer clothes for less? Is it really a crime that now more than just the "fashionista elite" can afford luxury goods? Hardly. Fashion is art, and, like art, I think it should be made accessible to as large an audience as possible. For too long there has been an almost unbridgeable gap between those who can afford expensive items ($3,000 jackets and $50,000 artworks) and those who cannot. Letting everyone in on the game is not a problem- in fact, I think it will help commercial-ability for bigger brands as well as help equalize the buying status quo. Really, those who are affected negatively are the middle men, the stores who cultivate an aura of elitism, and cutting them out only simplifies the system.

I cannot be convinced that this economic crisis is an overall bad thing. I realize that the market plummeting greatly effected those who were tied into the stock system (my family is, to a small degree) but I can't help but think the the people who are really losing are big corporations. Although it is regrettable for workers employed in such companies to lose jobs, in the long run I think cut-backs on big money industries can only lead to good thing for the future.

Lastly, I would STRONGLY disagree with the idea that creativity will suffer because of the current situation. The opposite is true: this time BREEDS creative energy. Instead of being handed everything you want and consequently growing lazy, resourcefulness in design has become essential.
As a designer I welcome this challenge. Modified thrift store finds, do-it-yourself style, repurposing old (sometimes vintage) clothing , finding beautiful fabrics on sale is what it's all about.

Garments I'm currently working on that reflect this philosophy:
~ Shoulder piece made of an old pillow with a shirt that is a pair of reconstituted satin pants.
~ Old lace curtains transformed into a ruffled halter top.
~ Draped pantsuit made out of balloon latex. I actually found the material at Burning Man this summer. There was an INCREDIBLE installation there of huge white balloons that pulsed in time to music and by the time I saw them most had popped, leaving the remains in playa dust. Soooo I decided instead of being wasteful I would take the stuff home and make something from it. (I can't describe how beautiful the installation was, especially while watching the sun come up after a night of dancing with close friends. Gives a whole new meaning to "sun salutation." If anyone knows who did it, please tell them I was moved and extremely appreciative!)

FutureDesign FutureSex FutureFashion.

Be prepared for the next phase of your evolution.

Visualization

2008-11-19T23:29:00.000-05:00

Too tired to write anything interesting...thanksgiving break cannot come soon enough.

So enjoy some visuals!

Model: Anjali.

A rework of a shoot I did in September. Very, VERY pleased with it.

Model: Marysia.

Shot in 28˚ weather...bleh. We were FREEZING by the end of it. I'm decently happy with the photo though- straight outta camera! I think I have more editing to do on it but I'm going to leave that for another day.

Boredom Does Nothing For Me

2008-11-17T23:12:00.000-05:00

I am in a mildly manic mood at the moment, all of yesterday and today actually, so I've been producing lots. It's a nice change from my past weeks of lethargy/energy-blockage.

Did I mention that I love gold? My room used to be painted a burnished but still shiny hue of it. Apparently I miss having the color in my life, as is evidenced by my latest pieces:

I told Natalie Addams ages ago that I would make her something and this idea has been sitting in my head for far too long. Her favorite color is purple so I made a halter dress in that shade and then I wanted it to look like a huge gold necklace had melted down the front so I poured a super-secret concoction down it. I haven't seen any other latex designers do this technique so I would proudly say that it is my personal invention. I also want to do a blood splattered idea on army green, but I really REALLY don't support violence or gore so that may not happen. I need to find a way to make the blood look natural in a bodily sense, and not like it's out of a horror film.

For Mosh. I was supposed to shoot her in it today but schedule conflicts made it not happen. Which royally sucks because I have a crit on Wednesday that I need to show new work for. I'm going to have to shoot a friend of mine in a different piece tomorrow and then HOPEFULLY shoot with Moshy Mosh over thanksgiving break.

I don't know if the outfit make sense lying down...it's a poncho-like top and then a tri-layer skirt. I was really focusing on working with the particular way that latex drapes. I think it needs some red accents on the bottom...either a red edging or make more red cut outs like the top. Thoughts?

So I have a strong affection for dance-y music (raves are love...) and I stumbled across Lady Gaga recently. Not only is her music addictive and bouncy, what really makes her interesting is her outfits. Her whole persona is a performance, and she designs everything she wears with her creative team, Haus of Gaga.

Video still stolen from perezhilton.com

Honestly, how fucking cool are those shoulder pieces??? Love it. They look like crystals, cocaine, diamonds in the rough (she says their inspired by a Thierry Mugler dress, not surprised.) I'm a big fan of shoulder and neck pieces (obviously) so I think I'm going to work on some huge spiked ones. I would love to make her something in particular...if anyone knows her or knows how to get in contact with her, let me know!

Bonus photo....

I heart cone-boobs & leopard!

Made this over the summer for Adrienne Anderson- not sure if she's used it yet, I should get it back so I can have it for my finals.

Enter the Dream

2008-11-05T19:45:00.000-05:00

I haven't updated in too long, but things have been so crazy! I know I promised to post a picture of the white dress I finished up last week but I was in a rush to send them off to a stylist. HOWEVER, I am getting them sent back tomorrow and hopefully photographing it will happen soon.

Got an excellent critique on these (both the photography & outfit) today, I'm super happy:

The color is wonky, they're more saturated in real life.

Thea (the model) was so, so lovely. I can't wait to work with her again, she of the perfect body and aerialist/contortionist skills. We shot in the Chihuly exhibit at the RISD Museum (thank you Tara and Denise!) which I highly recommend going to see.

The dress is made of two parts: a column of overlapped tulle and an overskirt of the stripped polyester that is belted. The tulle part took forever- I painstakingly complied 30 yards of white and 2 yards each of red, black, blue, yellow, orange, and fushia to get the look I was going for. Then I took my scissors & cauterizer and hacked away at it until certain parts came into view.

Also my good good friend Lauren Jack re-photographed a piece I made in conjunction with her back in May:

Elizabethan style.

It's all made out of brown plastic tarp, clear plastic sheeting, and microfoam. It's even held together with clear nylon thread and hot glue (which is plastic, fyi).

Other than that I'm currently researching bizarre textiles from the 1700s and wood block printing. I have a paper and design in mind that will combine both into a garment that uses old nostalgic techniques with contemporary relevance. Stay tuned!

...

2008-10-29T17:54:00.000-04:00

Wow, it's only 6pm but it feels like much later- it's been a looooong day. I got contacted by a nyc stylist YESTERDAY for a shoot on FRIDAY, which means that I had to overnight it all TODAY. Usually I would refuse on that short of time schedule but the shoot is with Nicolas Guerin for Liz Mag and I can't pass up opportunities like that.

Of course all of the pieces had some modifying that needed to be done so I was forced to skip the second half of my critique class and work work work like a maniac for 3 solid hours.

~ Two feather hatlettes: touchups on the underside

~ Silver organza & black plastic vest: straps had to be shortened

~ Full length blue pleated dress: inside seams had to be fixed

~ Gold & green sheer dress: shorten/change sleeves

~ Back collar/cut-out dress: I had taken the old design apart and had to completely remake it into a very strap-y top/neck piece.

WHEW. Run then nap then start all over again on more designs! Mosh is coming to visit on Nov. 17th and I have to have lots of goodies for us to shoot :)

Ride the Up Wave

2008-10-28T23:59:00.000-04:00

Super productive today....I should wake up at 8am everyday! Now if only I could avoid that pesky "falling asleep in class 'cause it's so early" thing.

I have an unfortunate tendency to put off things to do until the night before but when I am under pressure I actually wind up doing better than if I set aside more time. Case in point, I'm revamping the white dress I previously posted (see Dori in the garden picture). I took off the plastic shapes & the petticoat so that I had the original empire-waist sheath foundation, and then I re-draped it, added black accents (ribbon & pieces of a woven placemat- trust me, you'd never know. Picture tomorrow.), and seriously distressed the hem. The reason for revamp? A stylist contacted me a day or so ago to ask if I had anything available for a shoot with Joshua Black, and since I am completely unable to refuse offers with awesome photogs I had to say yes. The shoot is on Sunday but I need to send it out tomorrow morning!

On a side note, another one of my favorite tools to use is a high temperature, fine tip cauterizer.

(For clarification, cauterizers are used during surgery to simultaneously cut & burn the skin- the burn prevents blood loss.)

I don't think you're allowed to buy them for individual use, but my roommate's dad is a plastic surgeon and since health standards require that the cauterizer gets thrown out after every use, he gives her the old ones and she shares the love. It's a win-win situation!

They're great for:

- cutting nylon ribbon so that it doesn't fray

- cutting small details into fabric of all kinds

They're not so great to use on:

- latex (the smell is GOD AWFUL, and I'm sure it's super bad for your health)

-plastic (same as above, although the smell is not quite as noxious)

I think I could negate both of these problems by getting a respirator. I should probably do that anyways since I'm using powdered pigments as well for things. God damn everything at art school is toxic!!!

In The Pink

2008-10-27T12:46:00.000-04:00

A piece I'm currently working on:

When I first saw this shell pink semi-transparent pink plastic I half fell in love with it. It has an incredible amount of body and structure because of its nature (synthetics are often much more “crunchy” than natural fibers) and yet it almost looks bodily when viewed from a distance. The sheen on it also reminds me of a wet vagina, post-orgasm style. This last little lovely description is actually the inspiration for the center folds- when I draped it on my dress form it fell in such a suggestive way that I decided to exacerbate what the fabric obviously wanted to do. I’m struggling more with the back…I like how it is starting to billow out (pregnant belly style?) but it’s not resolved. Thoughts?

As a side note, 1” masking tape is quite possibly one of the cheapest and most useful tools I have in my arsenal. It sticks to everything but not so much that it leaves a residue when removed, it’s a built in straight line (I use it all the time when cutting latex strips), and it can be used more than once. AMAZING.

Travel-o-city pt.3

2008-10-24T19:10:00.000-04:00

For once I liked New York.

Well, I was only there for one insanely full & crazy day so maybe that's not a good arbiter from which to judge, but still.

1st stop, 1pm - B&J Fabrics

Expensive, but they have a GREAT selection of strange/novelty fabrics like polyethylene (medical gowns), metallic cork, spun vinyl, lenticular (shiny holographic) polyurethane, and liquid vinyl pvc (feels like LATEX!!! I wonder if this would be a good alternative for those allergic to rubber?). I really like also how their bolts of fabrics have a swatch coming out of it so as to better see the fabric, instead of having to pull out the whole thing (Mood fabrics, take note!) *Sigh* next time I have money to burn I will go back there.

2nd stop, 2pm - FIT Dark Glamour exhibit

I had to go again because I have much less time than I would have liked the weekend before, and I'm so, SO glad I re-checked it out. More noteables:

Yohji Yamamoto (Fall 06)

Hussein Chalayan (Fall 05)

Jans Laugesen

Gattinoni (Fall 07)

McQueen's prostetic corset from 1999 - I can't find a picture, damnit! - reminded me SUPER STRONGLY of this piece by AMF Korsets (it had the ribs and everything!):

3rd stop, 5pm - Comme des Garçon (designer: Rei Kawakubo)

First things first, the store is INCREDIBLY designed. Honestly, I'm blown away by it- you walk in and it's like a labyrinth with extremely high walls that look like they are tilting inwards. For the first little while I couldn't even focus on the clothes because I was so distracted by the architecture. When I did start to focus on the clothing, I was confused....but in a good, "I'm really intrigued" way. The current collection is primarily invested in modified mens-style wear- cut out button downs & tuexdo shirts & suit jackets like this:

I like the idea of it, but I think they look pretty hideous on women. On men I think they would look very striking. In fact, I saw mostly men in the store, which I was surprised about.

My favorite piece was definitely this though (reminds me of a piece I made for Dina de Sade last may):

Organza/net panniers!! Photo: Barry Underhill

4th stop, 6pm - Balenciaga (not planned, but it was right next door)

GORGEOUS & beautifully made. I loved loved loved a draped velvet & silk top and in a separate section they had two dress made of latex!!! They were amazing, done in transparent and smoke grey latex with hand-painting and seed pearls. (Perhaps from B&J?)

WOWZA:

I've been interested in printing on latex for a while now, and I think I'll have to get on that.

[Note to the staff however: do not tell me, when I am unfastening something, that "excuse me miss, but that is very delicate" in a condescending tone. I am well aware it is delicate but if I cannot stand up to an unfastening how is it possibly strong enough to wear???]

I did a bunch of other stuff but it's not design related :D Suffice to say it involved glitter & a limo & stage dancing and renewed my interest in making go-go/performance wear.

Speaking of performance, I have decided after some much needed guidance from Liz Collins - my independent study advisor - that I need to think more about the idea of performance in my designs & photographs. What this basically means is that I will be planning out strange poses ahead of time that relate to the garments, as well as shifting gears from hair/make-up as a seperate entity and instead making them a part of the garment.

And I SWEAR I'm working, I just don't have images yet 'cause my camera is out of battery. Soon, soon!

SHOES.

2008-10-17T18:04:00.000-04:00

If you know me, then you know I love love love shoes. It's my one girly thing. I'm especially a fan of stripper style, which is why I just spent far too much of my life at a semi-legal chinese import store that sells them for cheap. But I don't like just any kind of shoes- they have to be super tall or super strange. Hence the inspiration for today:

Ballet heels = amazing. Ballet dildo heels with spikes = genius.

Not for arachnophobics.

Mmmm scaffolding inspired.

Looks like ceramic, Geisha style.

FUCKING METAL!

Dirty feet from nasty sidewalk = totally worth it.

Origami was a childhood pastime of mine, many moons ago.

Gives new meaning to the phrase "walking the streets."

I found these just by browsing the 'net, so I have NO IDEA where they're from, where I can acquire some, or who made them. If anyone knows, let me know so I can put credits & links!

I also really want to make a pair like the last picture- anyone know where I can get shoes modified on the East Coast? Or a shoe designer who wants to collaborate with me on some crazy ideas?

In other news, I'm feeling a bit stuck at the moment. It's really hard to push yourself to limits that other people have not already been to, and it can feel a bit hopeless. I could very easily make straight up beautiful clothing, that's no problem, but to make weird avant-garde shit that makes viewers question/think/cry/laugh/etc. is hella hard. I suppose it's the difference between garments for profit and garments for art.

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Travel-o-city pt.2

2008-10-14T18:34:00.000-04:00

Trip THREE:

Sunday.

Brooklyn Botanical Gardens.

High contrast mid-day sunlight amidst ivy, archways, roses.

Canon 5D + PS CS3

Model was Dori-bot, who was GREAT. She posed well, but took direction easily, was super sweet, and had the perfect make-up & wig for the job.

The dress is:

~ two underlayers of synthetic stretch fabric,

~ an attached petticoat,

~ strange synthetic top fabric that feels spongy when squeezed,

~ microfoam sheeting from which I created the organic collar shapes. (I took four flat sheets, cut out large-ish circles using a dinner plate as a guide, then folded up each one individually before putting them together. I had to hand sew them on to the dress while Dori waited patiently and her roommate was attempting to sleep.)

GAH! I was very glad when the weekend was over and we headed back to Providence. I just can't focus in New York. It makes me anxious. I need a large room in an actual house with actual trees lining the streets and quiet at night. I think I'll be content with occasional trips and ordering everything else I need via the www. Lame, I know.

NEXT ON THE MENU:

* Red & black latex hat-lette with cream, black, and other secret details for Mosh (sending it out tomorrow!)

* Matthew Barney inspired headpiece.

* CHIHULY CHIHULY CHIHULY (sketchbook coming tomorrow....)

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Travel-o-city pt.1

2008-10-14T18:24:00.000-04:00

Trip ONE:

Not this weekend, but the weekend before, my lovely lovely friend Lauren Jack & I (along with my roomie Danielle) did a shoot at the Newport Mansions. Featured in all its full frontal glory were two outfits that I made in collaboration with L. for her senior thesis. I wish I could tell you more but if I give away her concept she'll have my head on a pike. So, all I will say is that the one on the left is made of lavendar & cream pvc (which is plastic, btw) and the one on the right is made of white lace vinyl & pink semi-transparent plastic:

And I have to rant for a second and say how much I GRRRRR CANNOT STAND PVC! Not only is it cheap looking & rarely fits well, it is a HUGE pain to sew. Because of the plasticized coating, it sticks to the machine and will only feed properly if sandwiched between two sheets of wax paper. Personally, I think if you're going for the sexy wet fetish look you should save your pennies and buy nice latex. And I'm not saying that just 'cause I make it :)

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Trip TWO:

Saturday.

Ah, New York. I realize everytime I go there how much I don't actually like the place. I keep thinking it'll get better, that I'll like it more someday, but it doesn't happen. Granted, there is so much stuff in one place that it's an incredibly resourceful place to be, but it feels.....empty. dead. substance-less. Le sigh.

That being said I did get some very productive things done. On the advice of my independent study prof. I checked out Alexander McQueen's store & Jeffrey's in the meatpacking district as well as saw the Gothic: Dark Glamour show at FIT.

McQueen was....disappointing. I saw some small dirt spots on clothing as well as some loose stiching! I didn't understand! And I realized something: I love the fantasy of fashion, and I LOVED the spectacle that his A/W 2008 collection had, but on the rack the clothes were so...lifeless. They lacked energy and the sumptuousness of seeing them adorn the body. Bah.

His laser cut vinyl lace dress was a neat idea though:

It was interesting to contrast his store with H&M, which I decided to go to afterwards. Although McQueen's store smelled lovely, and had more interesting/avant-garde/fashion-forward pieces, I found that H&M had better sewn, albeit simpler, garments. Not sure why....maybe H&M has more orders, thus larger sweatshops, thus more labor of quality (?) vs. a designer who has less orders and perhaps a smaller workforce? It's a half formed thought but a good idea to pursue at a later date.

IN RETALIATION, NEXT STOP FOR ME: WEARABLE INSTALLATIONS!

In contrast, the Dark Glamour show was so amazing! And I don't say this because of my weakness for gothy goth goth goth; Valerie Steele curated it and did a spectacular, well rounded show. (Side note: My first introduction to Steele was her book Fetish a few years ago and it is also extremely well written and cohesive.) The organization of it, as well as the pieces chosen, were right on the mark without being condescending or overly cliché.

Favorite designer I discovered: KEI KAGAMI

Gorgeous pieces with glass & medical inspiration. Mmmmmmm. I need to find out more about him.

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Barney & Bowery

2008-10-09T01:48:00.000-04:00

Doing lots, full update tomorrow.

That is all.

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SOCK-ET

2008-10-02T00:52:00.000-04:00

My first latex sock!! Mom would be so proud.

It's actually a seafoam/jade green- sorry for the crappy color balance :/ I'll post a better photo of it, its twin, & the matching girdle once I'm done with it all. I combined the seafoam with HOT PINK accents- for some reason the color combo reminds me of Miami. I've never been there but I like to imagine it during the hight of super modern art deco architecture. Well, I like to imagine a lot of places like that.

So, while I was inhaling lots of latex glue fumes I was thinking that the reason I enjoy working with latex is:

1. It's a challenge because it isn't taught in a traditional school/educational setting, and it requires a different mindset & tools. And I greatly enjoy being different, can't lie.

2. Rubber clothing is more blatantly sexual than any other kind of fabric. You can be covered head to toe but it's so tight it becomes a second skin, warm to the touch. I am drawn to this partially because I am fascinated by sexual-ness and partially because I like how people look like shiny cyber beings when they wear it. It's as if they become unearthly, unreal, which is funny in a way because rubber is a natural substance. (Granted, the colors are artificially added but the base is from a tree.)

Critique today...lots was said, good things to work from, the primary point of interest being: let the clothing dictate what kind of digital photo environment it wants to be in. Although if I start hearing voices from inanimate fabric telling me what to do you know what you'll have to do!

In addition to my sock I cut out a royal blue suede hood. It's going to have giant ram horns on it. Sisters in pink & hunter green are also on their way....mmmm I loves me some animal skins!

Last word: think cow tongue.

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Start Button

2008-09-30T22:10:00.000-04:00

The first is always the hardest...

so, yes.

I like to make wearable things for awesome people. Well, most of the time they are wearable. Many times they are of a see through & sheer variety. Perhaps not for the faint of heart.

I take...unusual photos of unusual garments. I enjoy it 80% of the time except when things go horribly, horribly wrong and 5 hours of prep/shooting are almost completely wasted.

I like plastic,

I like latex,

I like ethereal fabrics,

I like excessive/obsessive detailing,

I like absurd silhouettes.

I attack ceilings!

A piece I made was published for the first time in Bizarre magazine in the UK in their October issue. I was so excited I showed everyone in my class like it was my unhatched child. If they weren't interested they did a lovely job hiding it.

Kinky K-outure!

I make lots of stuff for Mosh, who is incredible at posing and will take over the world doing so. She and I live a mile apart back in MD, true story, and collaborating with her makes me happy. I love working with people who know how to move and are willing to wear just about anything.

She's moving to LA in January and I'm hella jealous. Maybe one day I'll join her.

On the schedule for her:

~Red & black latex teardrop hat.

~Latex bunny. (It will include a hood- I FINALLY found a pattern!!!! Usually I make my own but fuck the human head is complicated!) Shooting with Emma Wilcox, who is innnncredddiiibllle.

~Electric pink & seafoam green girdle with sock garters, matching socks, and a collar piece. Latex, of course.

~Cream silk dress with lots of draping & matching 40's style hat. Did I mention M. has a thing for 40's & 60's style? Emphasis on the sexy 60's pillbox. Her bf is similar...I would love to design something for him. I want to do more menswear. Men need to be more decorated.

Matching painted shoes!

What else is on the menu?

~Thesis work for school....boxes covered with sheer, echoing the body, layers of white covered with tiny buds, headdresses made of what remains, animal skins & bones, stealing Chihuly's visions.

Aerosonic!

~Collaborating with my good, good friend Lauren on her thesis work. Plastic plastic plastic...you would never guess what we've been up to. But you'll see.

~3 outfits (two finished!) for the North American Hair Awards. They are: silk organza, plastic, latex, art deco inspired, all in one. Watch out!

~Purple latex & gold drip dress for Natalie Adams.

~Lingerie for me and for you, the lucky few.

I want to make things for Darenzia, Ulorin Vex, and Apnea.

Did I mention I have a thing for fetish models? I love reading their blogs, true story. I would love even more designing for them.

Some philosophy....

*I love beautiful.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

*I love truth in my real life but I love fashion because of the fantasy, illusion, unreality.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

*I think aesthetics are enough of a conceptual reason.

And there is nothing wrong with that.

*I have no desire to be a ready-to-wear designer who only has part of a hand in the final product.

*I look at my clothes as ART PIECES, which means two things: one, I am completely immersed, involved, & invested in them and two, steal my designs and I can sue yo' ass.

-I envy Alexander McQueen's sewing workshops but I'm not intimidated by his designs.

-Vivienne Westwood was the first designer I was ever aware of and I still think she is wonderful. No one does gay porno Tom of Finland style better. She pleases me.

-I used to hate Viktor & Rolf but now I can't get enough.

-Leigh Bowery had it right from the start.

For some reason blogging freaks me out a little. Maybe one day I'll sound witty but for now somewhat stream of consciousness will suffice.

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