I never thought I would blog, ever. But here I am, a humble Canadian with a FEROCIOUS outlook on life, posting my first post. Perhaps I am too nostalgic and like to keep disturbing diaries of myself and figured this was ideal; an amateur memoir. Aside from that, this is me and these my thoughts. Please follow my adventures as I uncover the second year of London and more importantly, myself.
After working on a collection for a month and a half (this includes inspiration and all that delicious mumbo jumbo) I had a week to myself and with my family. The show itself was a major success and I produced a 19 look collection (WHICH I thought was 20 but never counted until day before…oh well) with around 28 pieces, all hand sewn by me. Each piece was constructed correctly, lined, boned, built-in bras, with bleeding fingertips and bags under my eyes as evidentiary support. Most of the models were my friends, who did an amazing job. Years of manual labor, personal clientele, and major projects with extreme deadlines have prepared me for this. I fell into pieces during the development but my sister, Suzzanne, future CEO of my company mind you, brought me up when I felt about the size of ant, minus the strength. Plus a year worth of work on mac is gone due to a crash adding fuel to the flame. I wouldn’t be where I am now without her uplifting soul.
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| Stainless Steel Corset, a collaboration with Michael (Sue's Husband) |
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| Julia Brucculieri (http://julesandjiblets.wordpress.com/) |
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| From left to right: Olivia S., Kristen Z., Julia B., Moi. |
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| The Family: Mom, Me, Lisa (Head Make-Up Artist), Sue (Manager), Daddy |
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| Dom and his father |
More professional pictures to come.
Arrival date in London:
MONDAY SEPTEMBER 13-11:30 AM
Travel used to be glamorous and each time I board I ignorantly think so too but not the airlines that serve you pickled salads and pillows plush as 1 ply. From Heathrow I went to Mayfair in London. It’s another world, black and white. The world belongs to a boy who’s a dreamer, much like me, but as thin as a waif with a daunting presence (dresses mostly in black) until you spend a few hours with him. A generous being that allowed me to stay with him until I found a flat (which I now have, in the fabulous area of Westferry…) Life is much different here, with another lodger who works at Dolce. I’m occupying the guest so he built a fort with the black boxes he’s accumulated from his job complete with stark white letters spelling out you know what. An exuberant and beautiful world with the luxury to indulge…not at all for me, but looking through the keyhole does destroy some inquisitions. As for me, I’m ready to callous my fingertips with sewing… enough of the sweet life.
2 days of rest and its time for Manel. Manel Torres was a former professor of mine who invented ‘spray on fabric’. You’ve read that correctly! Instant couture in a bottle composed of cotton fibers, plastics, solvents and some other magical things...when inhaled, feel even more magical. A non-woven material that when sprayed, produces a material that lifts off the skin, can be taken off, washed, and put back on. But I digress; my point is that before I left to work on my own collection I helped him design and organize his “structures” to be sprayed, and I was back because I had agreed to assist him with the show.
September 20th was right around the corner. I met him at a prestigious university where we went over everything and suddenly I was Dom and had a hefty list before me. It was a scientific environment, stark white lab coats, ID badges, and tall gawky students baffled as to what I was doing in a place of logical thinking. Mind you, I’m actually textbook savvy but traded in science for silk. After the sewing, the structures, the hats, the “day of” was even more frantic. The finale dress took hours to spray and we had a problem with the ventilation in the spraying room. The solvent released fumes that seemed to provoke the safety heads. We then proceeded to spray in a well-ventilated area and all was fine. With Manel’s consent, I helped him spray everything as he was busy running back in fourth between interviews and fashion show dilemmas. As I finished spraying the last girl in trousers, we walked outside… and there was still one girl left…and 10 minutes the show would start. After running around believing she was the finale girl, we rushed her back, found an outfit and began to spray her. Forgetting the gun was filled with blue product, each piece was disassembled, cleaned, removed, and reassembled. I began to spray her in a fresh white. While spraying the gun became clogged and the back of the dress was not finished. Since this is a SPRAY-ON fabric, no product means NO CLOTHES. I quickly remembered 2 sample aerosol cans and took 2 and sprayed her simultaneously…O yeah, did I mention the show began? We rushed her to the runway, threw her on to the catwalk, and all was well. Manel did a spectacular job, 10 years in the making and I couldn’t be more proud to call him my professor, and even more so my friend.
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| Manel Torres' Creation (1st girl sprayed) |
After this little event, I spiraled down into a fashion coma, 2 shows, in 2 months takes a toll…I’m just awaiting to start Marangoni now, which is tomorrow. It’s been quite a summer. I have no regrets.
March on soldiers.
