Innovative Pattern Cutting - Romina Karamanea

Showcasing beautiful designs by London fashion designer Romina Karamanea (originates in Athens). She did Fashion Design and Product Development at Nottingham Trent University, then she went to Central Saint Martin for Innovative Pattern Cutting.

I can clearly see the Innovative Pattern Cutting directly applied in her recent collection (which is my favorite by far). And I have to say first thing that captured my eyes is really the stunning Fashion Photography! The blood red jewel toned satin cut in an architectural shapes, with just the right amount of stiffness which complements with the fluidity and luster of the fabric, on the skin that seem like an immortal (or corpse like). I could really stare at this photo forever...and the longer I stare the image reminds me of the movie "sin city". There is definitely a common feel to the color and mood manipulation between the two.

The Impeccable Tailoring

I have really been quite disappointed (and uninspired) with the recent stuff that came down on the major runway, by major I mean the stuff that you can look through style.com, or any major fashion mags like Vogue or Harper Bazaar (at least the US ones). Therefore it is absolutely essential to look at some of the most influential blogs like "Diane, A Shaded View on Fashion"(which I have already "advertised" many times), or fashion forums like "The Fashion Spot". These places you will find a lot of insider's information and materials that will only come out in the major mags few months later, or they wouldn't come out at all because some people in the biz think the advertisements pages are more important.

Anyways, one of the thing i would like to achieve in this blog is to archive some of the designers that really inspire me. I feel like my vision and my taste in this fabric manipulation art has been growing along with my blog. If you back track my entries you see stuff that I pick at first are like easy breezy La Rok, Forty's, and Tracy Reese. But what really inspire me now is the more sober, fluid yet feminine design, and more importantly, is the impeccable tailoring that make a piece deserve a timeless status. I found the Fall/Winter 2007 collection by this Argentinian-French designer Gaspard Yurkievich absolutely captivating. The soft flow cling comfortably on the body, the slim dress pants, mini skirt and blazer with big stripes (fabulous detail on the back of the blazer), beautiful sheer contrast with the satin bow on the chest, and its great that he threw in the more whimsical piece like the crochet + feather tube over the sheer grey blue turtle neck, ends with a bubble mini.

New International Forces

I am really loving this one piece designed by Gaurav Gupta, a graduate from Central Saint Martins, who returned to India to become the local fashion star in his own country...this is definitely a great inspiration for me. I love the fabric (should be some sort of luster rayon material), the top embellishments (not too heavy but shows a little bit of the ethnic influence), the draping and the layering down the waist. I am wishing him all the best in his early career (I wonder how its like to start out in India as a fashion designer, more so I wonder how its like to start out in China as a fashion designer...).

LibraStar's Journal: Preparations

Sickness after sickness, it has been draining my energy to blog!
Just want to update on a couple things that I have been doing in my "down time":

1. Attended my first intermediate sewing class! We got our own custom measured skirt pattern which we will be using to make various style skirts (flare, A-line, pencil, bubble, pleats...you name it!) and first we are using Muslin to make the sample pattern. (Muslin is plain-woven cotton fabric that uses to make a trial version of the garment)

2. Fabric shopping craze!! yea well...now I know how people say they use all their lunch money to buy fabric - i think this week i have been using my lunch and dinner money to get fabric! (top pics: the top three I am thinking of making printed canvas bag with brown vinyl trimming; the lower three are some printed cotton stretch fabric, I am thinking of making some asymmetrical dresses using these! see the tibi one)

3. Got lots of beautiful gem stones from M&J trimming! I have been in love with the big gem (since Marni & Marc's inspiration) so now i will be playing with these on my bag designs and clothings!

4. Sew another makeup bag! This is a gift for the person who kindly helped me in the application process! :) There are still more customization to this, which I will be adding later.

5. Realized that I have been needing a lot of trimmings, zippers, buttons, eye & hooks for my sewing projects. It is time to get some kind of organizer for these things! Really love Bit & Bobbins big drawer with those little compartments...

I am so glad that spring is here! We all need to get out of the cold weather soon! Have a sweet weekend!

Sewing 101: Finding True Bias

Starting my new project. I bought this pattern package which has 2 different tops, a skirt and a flare dress pants pattern. I will be doing one of the top using a red satin fabric...nothing too fancy just want to practice my sewing and study how the construction using a pattern works.

One of the most important lesson is that you really need to layout your pattern on fabric on a "true bias". A true bias makes an angle of 45 degree across the length and width of a fabric, fabric cut on a bias has maximum stretch. Fabric also have something called "selvage" which is the edge of either side of the woven fabric. Lengthwise of the fabric (aka straight grain/warp) runs parallel to the selvages, which has almost no stretch (or "gives") at all; whereas crosswise (aka weft) runs across selvages and has a little gives. These are the fundamental for beginning sewers and as I go on I started to realize how much different fabric influences the "sewability" and out come of the product.

I will be posting my progress :)

Blogger's Delight

I just found out that Blogger is migrating all the photos in the blog to Picasa Web Album!

Now you can just flip through all the images direct on my blog album! (but you still have to come to read my blog!!) ^^

LibraStar's Journal: Puff Skirt I

I should have post the skirt that i made from the sewing class a few months back, but it was such a bad skirt so didn't want to show it. Today I made a new one using slightly altered methods and a better fabric (it's a jacquard brocade fabric, the color is silver grey, black with thin gold thread).

It is still a bit too puffy (as you see on the mannequin) so i took the sides in a bit as well as shorten the hem - so the pictures with me wearing the skirt is the final product with the adjustments. I am still not really happy about it, I think mainly this fabric would be much better to do a pencil skirt with or with less pleats - now i learn how pleats would make the skirt look like an umbrella!

My intermediate sewing classes will be starting soon, so I will be posting my new work from time to time. Also I will be doing more designs of tote bags and makeup bags...I know once I start cranking those little bags i won't be able to stop! stay tune~!

Etsy - An Organic Shopping Experience

Have been reading up a bit about consumer trend. It is apparent that consumers are much smarter and being more critical when buying products. They care about where the product is from (i.e. what kind of material they use to make the product? how do they obtain the material?), how it was produce (i.e. are they using child labor? are they giving a living wage to their labors and employees?) and whether they are potentially harmful to the environment (i.e. is the product biodegradable?). In a world that is overwhelmed with choices, a lot us are no longer satisfied with just the brand name goods or just the cheap knock offs or imitation of certain seasonal trends.

Etsy is one of the force that reckon this shifting trend. It is like the "Organic Ebay", except - it is actually much more advanced. There are many different search methods as well as innovative browsing engine, as a web design/developer I am totally impressed by the ease of use and features of this online marketplace! One of the feature is the "Time Machine" - this is a new concept that shows you the items that were sold, 1 min ago, 2 mins ago...etc. You can browse through this in three different visual display, watching items coming at you and passing out of the screen.

Another new way of browsing is through selecting a particular color. Once you selected the color, the items in that color will pops up on the same screen, and then you can keep picking different colors until the whole screen is full of colorful items!

There is also a geographical browsing method, where you click on a map and the seller from that area will pops up.

There are still tons of features there for you to play with. I am definitely considering opening my own store in there soon, so whenever i do, I will definitely let you guys know! :)

LibraStar's Journal: Wardrobe Makeover

Here is my little experiment with the things that I have which I never use/wear, namely, the size 10 Cynthia Steffe skirt I bought from the premium outlet last thanksgiving, a black flower broach I bought in SF, a velvet trimming I bought for sewing work. Combine them together they make a really gorgeous LBD. ;)

LibraStar's Journal: New Beginnings

So I will be back to school again! It is really exciting for me and this will lead me to so many different possibilities now. I can't wait. :)

Prada in real life

Fabulous imitation for the Prada Spring 07 look. I am itching to alter my hot pencil skirt by Rachel Roy and a pale green jewel color shirt that I have...thanks Face Hunter for the great inspiration! :)

LibraStar's Journal: Getting back in action (sewing-wise)

It's been awhile since I last blogged. Since I have recovered from some dreadful sickness, there is a little side effect of lingering laziness and lack of motivation. But regardless, my mind is still racing with ideas on some sewing projects, still looking out for new inspirations from the beautiful patch work ideas.

Starting from next week I will be going back to sewing school for the intermediate class. I will be posting regularly on the process, as well as pictures of what i made...etc. :)