More Kimono yumminess

Its becoming a bit of a trend for British designers to be using kimono fabric, so it pains me to admit that I'm getting more and more into the stuff. No designer wants to admit to following a trend, we all want to be the origin of such things, but I have to say my interest has developed purely by chance. Its not about it being Japanese, or that the idea sounds more exotic, as opposed to say, just using British vintage fabric. The Kimono fabric designs I choose, are often quite subtle generic prints, and don't necessarily feel Japanese. In fact, I don't want the fabric to feel Japanese, I like the idea that it could come from anywhere.  I love that these beautiful fabrics can be bought relatively cheaply and yet still have so much history and amazing handmade detail. These fabrics were once kimonos, but have been unpicked, carefully pressed and then rolled up to be sold on again. The fact that the fabric has such history, but is still completely intact and uncut is just so perfect. As long as the print/weave works for me, I don't actually care where the fabric originates, its design and history are what interests me, plus the fact that the fabric comes in 10m+ roles so is plenty to work with.

Luton

As well as loving vintage ephemera, I'm also from Luton originally, so there lies the connection with the seemingly random town. I'm loving this little leaflet, its a beauty. 

Music Video Costumes for 'Our Broken Garden'

When Your Blackening Shows from philm on Vimeo.


Had a little bit of input for this music video by designing the costume. My good friend Phil Molloy directed it, and so asked if I could help out in that department. The video is very cool, as are the band and their music. Enjoy!

A collage by Picasso

More burlesque....

Playing cards

Bought these Victorian playing cards on ebay,
they're so lovely. I don't think I'll ever play with them, I just like to have them.

Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo is one of my all time heros, she's so cool. Even with a bit of a mono-brow and a mustache (which she was sure to include in her self-portraits) shes still a fox. She wasn't afraid to express herself, from her political views to her sexuality, and through to the pain and suffering she endured through illness and reconstructive surgery after that horrible tram accident. She channeled all of this pain into her painting, though I have to say I'm not so fussed about her work, I like it, but she's way more interesting. 

  

Website

My website is still off line, sorry, its all been down to a very busy summer and the fact that I have been designing and building the site from scratch, so its taking alot longer. I had some help originally from a friend, which was great, but long term I knew I was going to find it frustrating, having to wait for someone else to make little changes for me each time. I can be very impatient, but this way it means I can put up what I want when I want, which suits me very well, and its cheaper.

Though in addition to being busy generally, I am also working on new stuff, so I'm waiting for that to come together, to then get it photographed, to then get it online.

My work is currently available from:

Concrete Wardrobe, 50a Broughton St, in edinburgh, 

and online at www.velvetboutique.com 

I recently bought this vintage kimono silk fabric, it was made up into a kimono originally, then deconstructed to be sold on. To make certain types of Kimonos the fabric is pleated and stitched in one length, so the fabric is never cut, and they are hand stitched, so are really easy to unpick. I bought a few other Kimono jackets also, one of which I've already hacked to pieces.

This is a detail image of an amazing Victorian screen, the design work is all hand embroidered with gold thread, and is worked into black silk. Yum

I'm gunna have a shot at something similar.

Mice and Toiles

I bought this amazing 18th Century Toile at an antique market a few weeks ago - its all patched up using different miss match pieces and is covered with holes and stains, but I totally love it. Toiles are pretty hard to find, so I was over the moon.

This little fella had made his way into my flat a week or so ago - before setting him loose, I got a few pictures. I am a big fan of Robert Thompson, the furniture maker who used to carve a mouse into each of his pieces. I remember coming across his work for the first time in York, when I was about 12 or 13 - there is a building close to york minster its main doors were made by Robert Thompson.

New sketch books...

These are my new sketchbooks! They are still kind of a working progress - after printing I noticed a few little things I'd like to change, but over all, I'm fairly pleased. They are printed on the reverse and inside too, and come in all sorts of different colour ways. I'll add more images soon. I'm using a combination of new and recycled paper to make up the pages - old envelopes etc. The 'dog tooth' or 'Hounds tooth' print is obviously not my design -  but all of the other background prints, used to make up the collages, are my own. I had designed these little prints about 3 years ago to make fashion accessories (ditched that), and had been wondering what to do with them ever since. These books are currently available from 'Concrete Wardrobe' Broughton St, edinburgh and will soon be added to the web site. Though I manage the site myself, its not one of those 'package/ template' sites, I do it all through 'Dreamweaver', so its tricky to make changes all of the time.

I printed the paper over at the DCA (dundee contemporary arts) because they have right tables for paper printing, and I can print off loads at a time. As my studio space is in my flat, its impossible keeping it all tidy - I wash my screens out in the bath, use my own washing machine to dye fabric and use all available floor space to lay things out to dry. So it's nice to use other studio spaces for a while.

David Shrigley

Penny Dreadfuls

This is brilliant. Introduced in the 19th Century pennydreadfuls were cheap weekly fictional magazine/booklets,

often featuring dark Gothic stories, folk tales etc.

These magazines were very much part 

of the underbelly of working class Victorian society,

which absolutely fascinates me.

I love the design of this booklet and the name 'penny dreadful'...

Burlesque

No idea where this is going, but I LOVE the

whole burlesque thing - Liza Minelli in Cabaret and

Clara Bow. I prefer earlier costumes though - 

pre 1920's.

The type and colour scheme here are really nice... 

Early mood board

This is an old mood board from one of my art college projects....

Please note: This clipping is from my own portfolio of work, so please
do not pinch this or any other of my images, with out my personal say so!

'mood' images