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Thursday, 27 January 2011

Bordelle. Wk1.

On Tuesday I began my internship at Bordelle. A small lingerie company in Ladbroke Grove, London.

I didn't really know what to expect when the designer, Javier said "...you will mostly be sewing I'm afraid..." at the interview ...Afraid? Huh!? That's exactly what I want to be doing, learning through doing as well as watching.
After my first week I'm beginning to see where the words 'I'm' and 'afraid' come into it.
It's hard work for sure...

The studio as seen from the kitchen area.

The production area as seen from the closet.

So, most of the week I've been playing a small part in producing a whole heap of the Bondage Angela dress (as seen below) in varying sizes.
My job has mainly been to attach the elastic straps to the metal rings ready for the cups to be added. I have also had the chance to add some of the bows between the cups.

click to enlarge

The hard part is of course the sewing.
Luckily I am a very patient person as a well as... fastidious?. I think that I would have had it after a few hours otherwise. The straps of one dress (around 20) takes me a good 45 minutes (on a bad day, around 35 on a good). Now I'm not sure if it takes the pros (that's the paid machinists) that long or if I'm just being overly concerned about the quality... But, as I said before, I am a perfectionist and therefore I take the stance that one could never be overly concerned about quality ...at least not in relation to time.

But anyway, I knew it wasn't going to be easy so before I got my hands on a garment I practiced and practiced sewing the elastic to the rings. (below)

The raw edges of the elastic bands have to be folded under and then sewn very meticulously. The larger bands are a lot easier but I have to say I've surprised myself at how easily I've picked it up and how, although it is tiring and repetitive, it's strangely enjoyable... but maybe that's just my perfectionist nature.

I had never worked with elastic in this way before so it's definitely been an interesting experience that I have enjoyed, learnt from and been inspired by.
I admire designs that embody complexity as well as embracing simplicity. Javier's designs do this beautifully.

Around the Studio...

Lots of images of the female form (as you would expect) and this useful note:

Very Important. :)

Alas! C'est le weekend...déjà!
and yes, I'm VERY tired having been up at 630am every morning.

The best is yet to come I'm sure of that. Stay tuned and have a lovely weekend.

サラバ。

http://bordelle.co.uk/

Tuesday, 12 October 2010

The Long Awaited:

Dame and Knight Video...

Sunday, 9 May 2010

Q&A With Lu Flux

WHERE DO YOU COME FROM?

Originally I am from the Isle of Wight

WHERE DID YOU STUDY/TRAIN?

I did my degree in Fashion at Edinburgh College of Art.

WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION/IDEAS?

This A/W 2010 inspiration for the Dame and Knight collection came from traditional British folklore ceremonies that are still in practise today. These include the Whittlesea Straw Bear, the Queensferry Burry Man and the Garland King. I also looked at armour as I went to the Tower of London to see King Henry VIII’s armour.

WHAT INSPIRED OR MOTIVATED YOU TO BECOME AN ETHICAL DESIGNER?

When I was making my final collection at Edinburgh I used salvaged and vintage materials. I have always loved and collected vintage fabrics and this was a perfect way to make use of them. It was a natural progression to become ethical because I was 80% of the way there already.

DESCRIBE THE COLLECTION IN 7 WORDS

Warm, fun, peculiar, nostalgic, comforting, charming and delightful

WHICH PIECE IS YOUR FAVOURITE?

I want to get married in a vintage white lace version of the Damsel in Distress.

ARE THERE ANY PEOPLE/DESIGNERS THAT INSPIRE YOU OFTEN?

So many! I also get very inspired by strangers. When you go out you don’t know who or what you are going to see and if you are in a certain place even 5 minutes later you see completely different people that’s one of my favourite things about living in London.

WHICH PIECE (IF ANY) WOULD YOU SAY PORTRAYS YOUR PERSONALITY BEST?

Well I would wear it all.

WHICH PIECE WAS MOST ‘TRYING’ FOR YOU AS A DESIGNER?

Technically both of the Kaboom pieces were incredibly trying. They were made up of so many pieces and the patchwork was so so precise but it was triumphant to see them finished.

WHAT ARE YOUR STRENGTHS?

I am fastidious and I work hard.

WHAT ARE YOUR WEAKNESSES?

I am not very good at taking criticism.

DO YOU HAVE A TECHNICAL OR CONCEPTUAL APPROACH TO DESIGNING?

I can be quite muddled when it comes to designing and different things can set me off from patchworking to a certain fabric that I might see or a vintage photograph but I would say more conceptual than technical.