moodychameleon

I'm so proud!

2011-12-07T20:46:00.000-08:00

I'm so proud and happy to see what beautiful pieces of wearable art the ladies came with (After they finished what we started during the master-class I gave in Amsterdam in September 2011). The same pattern but such different interpretations and outcomes! (Although, so far, all dresses are in some shade of purple :) What a coincidence :)))
Well done!!! You are so gifted girls!!!

Dorie van Dijk

Helen Weiden

Kim Nijsten

Master-classes 2011_Amsterdam

2011-12-07T20:32:00.000-08:00

What a fun day it was!!! So many good memories to keep, so many incredible people to meet! And we all were blessed with such a wonderfull host as Cristina Pacciani! Would love to do it again!

Master-classes 2011_Moscow

2011-12-07T20:15:00.000-08:00

That was my first experience in conducting master-classes organised by Ярмарка Мастеров in Moscow . Honestly, I was very happy to do it and felt very satisfied. Hopefully, so were my pupils ;)) I met so many lovely, enthusiastic and like-minded people! Creat experience!
There are some images from the MC in Moscow, August 2011 taken by Татьяна Кузнецова.

Here we come again...

2011-12-07T20:09:00.000-08:00

It's been a while since my last post... AGAIN! Mmm... what can I say, I'm may be good in a lot of applications, but dealing with routine isn't my strongest point. I can only promise to do my best towards improvement in that area ;)))

My master-classes "Felt & Shibori" in Moscow

2011-06-24T18:06:00.000-07:00

Bought yesterday NZ merino jersey in wonderful colours in preparation for my master-classes "Felt & Shibori. 3D Marvel" in Moscow this August.
Which are fully booked, btw ;) Thank you everyone!!!
Photo, although, doesn't present colours perfectly, but close to the original (apart green one - looks very dull in this photo).

And these are objects I would suggest for participants to collect and bring to the classes to do the shibori part.
Different shapes and sizes = different effects ;)))

Master-class 1 (nuno-felted shibori vest)

Master-class 2 (soft jewelry & accessories)

Talk to you soon,
SheverDUSHKA

Textile experiments_Shibori & Felt_2

2011-06-22T04:30:00.000-07:00

Done some more bits and pieces trying to find the right direction I would like my "soft jewelry" collection to develop. Not happy yet, but see some promising ideas coming out of it ;))) But I guess will have to finalise them after I come back from my trip. Being kind of busy much recently )))

xoxo SheverDUSHKA

Sheverdushka comes to Russia

2011-06-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Such a beautiful sunny winter day here Down Under )))
Which is itself a great reason to feel good.
Besides I just received feedback saying that both of my workshops (master-classes) I'm going to conduct during my time in Russia (in August) are almost full in just one day. Wow! I'm so impressed and flattered! Thank you so much everyone! So looking forward to meet fellow felters!

Here's the link

Oh, ye, haven't I mentioned that I'm escaping Oz for 2 months in August - September and going for extensive trip to Europe & Russia. So exited!!! Haven't been home for 3 years :-0

Will keep you posted ;)))

xoxo SheverDUSHKA

Textile experiments_Shibori & Felt

2011-06-14T17:10:00.000-07:00

G'day, everyone!

Recently I've been doing some more experimenting with combination of nuno-felting & shibori.

Vest I made for the master-class I was offered to conduct soon (fingers crossed)

Developing mini-collection of accessories/jewelry
Halloween Story_Onion Necklace

Not sure wat to do with this piec yet... May be turn it into pillow cover )))

Organza(left sample) and dyed in indigo piece of cotton voile (right sample) are felted and then "shibored" applying "mokume" method

Piece of silk chiffon was dyed in indigo utilising block/resist dyeing technique and then felted on

My recent works _Pearly King

2011-06-10T20:17:00.000-07:00

Pearly King Jacket_Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness, May 2011
And one more post for today.
If you noticed in the previous post I placed photo of Luke & Anna with Cate Blanchett. The fact is that their label Romance was Born has collaborated with Sydney Theatre Company (which belongs to Cate or her husband if I'm not mistaken) to create costumes for one of their coming plays
Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness
I beaded the Pearly King jacket the guy on the photo is wearing :)))

Jacket in working process

That's it for today. See you very soon!

xoxo
SheverDUSHKA

My recent works_The Oracle S/S 2011-12

2011-06-10T19:26:00.000-07:00

The Oracle S/S 2011-12 (Romance Was Born), Sydney, Australia, April-May

That was also a very exciting period, as it always is during preporation for the fashion week show.
These are images of garments I personally work on making. (Although, I participated in making some of the others at some stages (mostly patternmaking))

Dress primarily made for Art&Australia

It is Body & Skirt. I made and beaded the body ;)

Here I made the base for all the "feathers" to be attached.
The "feathers" are crochetted by Luck's mum :)

These outfits were beaded abroad but I made the hair skirt which gave me a headache backstage as I had to follow model and give the skirt a continious haircat )))

A-lister's at the show ;)
Anna & Luke(Romance Was Born) with Cate Blanchett

And just me backstage )))

There are photographs from the show

My recent works_Art & Australia

2011-06-10T19:03:00.000-07:00

Art & Australia, Sydney, April 2011

Romance Was Born is well known for their collaboration with australian artists to create unique prints they utilise for their fashion collections.
In this case guys collaborated with Oz artist Nell to make several garments for photoshoot for Art&Australia magazine.
But the dress I made wasn't print based and eventelly didn't get into the issue but was presented at fashion week in May 2011 (more details and images will be in following post).
Nevertheless, I got these cool pillow covers as a "thank you" present sighed by the artist ;)))

My recent works _ Nespresso

2011-06-10T18:19:00.000-07:00

Hi, again!

While I've been out of covering my activity for the last 6 month it doesn't mean I've been doing nothing. And although most of my recent works have nothing to do with felting or shibori but I indulged myself with beading and other sort of embellishment working on some projects with Australian duo Romance was Born. There some of them ;)

Nespresso, Sydney, Australia, (December 2010)

Anna & Luke received project to create 3 extravagant dresses for launch of Nespresso flagship shop in Sydney made predominantly from coffee pods.
I worked on 2 of them - gold/brown and pink/red/violet ones.
That was fun experimenting with unusual materials )))
There are some photos:

Anna, Luke (RwB), Marcus, me

I've been lost but now I'm found )))

2011-06-10T18:09:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone!

Its been a really long time since my last post here.
What can I say... I kind of neglected my blog for the last 6 months.
But it is now clear to mee that I better keep it on as there are people
out there (I mean you, my dear viewers and followers) who find my blog
interesting and informative )))

So, thank you!!! You've inspired me to keep my blog alive and engaging )))

xoxo
SheverDUSHKA

Catwalk shots

2011-01-06T03:16:00.000-08:00

Human Chamaeleanus 8 December 2010

Catwalk photos and backstage snaps

2010-12-12T16:24:00.000-08:00

G'day!
There are some photos from the UTS graduation show my collection was featured at which was held on the Wednesday night of 8th December in the Tower Building.

15 seconds of fame )))

Collection (photographs by Jennifer Surjadi)

Backstage snaps (by me:))

Photographer who shot my collection for the portfolio, Chrissie Hall, me and Anna Plunkett from Romance Was Born

My Aussie family/supporters :)

Bootilisious

2010-12-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

I have to admit I am a shoeholic! )))
That is why shoes (precisely, boots) is an importatnt part of my collection.

Look 1

Look 2

Look 3

Look 4

Look 5

Look 6

Photoshoot

2010-12-09T07:29:00.000-08:00

These are professional photographs of my collection done thanks to collaboration with other highly creative people.

Look 1

Look 2

Look 3

Look 4

Look5

Look6

Photography - Chrissie Hall
Digital retouching - Wassim Bazzi
Hair/make-up - Heather Loudon
Model - Caitlin Murray

I'm back! (Part 2)

2010-12-09T06:25:00.001-08:00

There are other 3 Looks (Blue-green and "The oranges")

Look 4

Look 5

Look 6

I'm back!

2010-12-09T05:30:00.000-08:00

Hi!
It's been a while since I've updated my blog (almost half a year).
But I've been very busy working on the graduation collection and some other
creative staff.
Now I'm more or less free and feel like there some catching up better to be done.
So... where do I start...
Ah, yepp - collection is made and presented and there is final outcome of the hard work it has envolved displayed below.
Lets do it look by look - Look 1-3 - "The Greens" :)))

Look 1

Look 2

Look 3

Felt on a catwalk

2010-06-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

There are some images from high fashion collections by infamous and rising designers created based on felting technique. Great examples when craft is risen to a designer level.

Yohji Yamomoto Fall 2009 Ready to Wear creations which includes felt. Some very subtle, some very exaggerated, but all so ever trés chic.

Stella McCartney had included felt in her Fall 2008 collection as an alternative to leather/fur.

At NY fashion Week Fall 2010 by Sabah Mansoor Husain, a MFA Fashion and Knitwear Design student whose knitwear collection combines an eclectic set of techniques derived from both craft and design. She drew from traditional methods of felting fabrics, crochet, hand embroidery and Shibori (a Japanese technique of dyeing a pattern by binding, stitching, folding, twisting or compressing fabric). Sabah also added jewel details to her entirely black and charcoal collection. Inspired by chandeliers, she worked with an artisan in Firozabad, India developing the jewel-shaped crystals.

Felt & Shibori

2010-06-14T05:14:00.000-07:00

image from

image from

feltedkiwi

fiberarts

image from

Illustration

2010-06-13T02:16:00.000-07:00

There is an illustration I done to make my first nuno-felted garment look more presentable ))

The background image created based on glass installation by an incredible artist Dale Chihuly

Changing skin...

2010-06-13T02:09:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update. Thanks to friend of mine who is much better in adjusting computer programs including templates my blog now looks much more personal ) I've prepared some other wallpapers created based on my textiles designed for current project and will be changing background image from time to time )))

It"s working.

2010-06-09T18:26:00.000-07:00

I'm excited - the network has actually started to build up )))
My blog was found by devoted felt creators from Israel (felt4you) and now I got bunch of links to a lot of interesting information and images about nuno-felting. Cool! Thanks!

First garment. Nuno-felting.

2010-06-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Have spent 3 last days making my first nuno-felt garment - skirt (but can be worn as a cover-up). Of cause reversible. Apart nuno-felting I have applied couple of shibori techniques ("mokume" & "marbling").

Just finally realised in how much trouble I've put myself again. Felting is so time consuming and very physical )))

My textile experiments. Other techniques. Part 3.

2010-06-06T14:40:00.003-07:00

Some new textiles I've developed recently.

Masked Lady...

2010-06-06T14:35:00.000-07:00

It's a photo of a friend of mine I've found in my photoarchive from my "party girl" period. Taking about masks...

Nuno felting. Technical tips.

2010-06-05T17:06:00.000-07:00

There are some technical hidden stones I have learnt experimenting with nuno-felting:

Shrinkage

- Although averagely during "hardening" process piece of felt shrinks by 30% (if to spin in washing machine at 800+ speed can potentially shrink to 50% (by the way, help to dry felt much quicker too(!))) in case with nuno-felting it depends on what kind of fabrication is used as to incorporate it with. For example, stiff (but comparatively loose woven cottons) will prevent felt from shrinking to much.
- If you using resist to separate two layers of felt then depending on the way its applied it also can prevent felt from shrinkage. For instance, if nuno-felt is wrapped around to create seamless tube then expect to appear much more shrinkage at sides that are not wrapped (about average 30%) and much less (maximum 10-15%) on wrapped ones, especially if resist material is quite strong.

Suitable fabrication for nuno-felting

- Variable sort of wools including jersey works with felt beautifully;
- Most of silks (especially organza and chiffon) except taffeta (or dupion) and use satin densely woven versions;
- Some cottons, loosely woven;
- Cotton/silk or silk/viscose mixes, but once again, comparatively loosely woven;
- Some synthetics, such as poly or nylon organza, but take into consideration that to make them work with felt will require more rolling.

SWOP Analysis.

2010-06-05T16:42:00.000-07:00

Strength:
- Rich, exclusive textiles;
- No one else does nuno-felting and has similar theme (in my year);
- Basic, accessible fabrication used for textile designs;
- In Russia there is no big competition in felt-making;
- In Australia, in spite of wide popularity of felting, there is not so much at the "designer" level;

Weaknesses:
- To get "carried away", overdesign;
- So far, still a lack of felting skills;
- To get to "costumy";
- Position myself at competitive price level

Opportunities:
- To make collection to "stand out" because of exclusive, specially designed textiles;
- To reintroduce felting as a top level, "designer" technique rather then a "market", "crafty" one;
- To develop unique approach to felting;
Even being put in "mass production" each piece still will be quite a one-off because of textile technique's uniqueness (especially felting & nuno-felting)

Threats:
- To get "crafty" instead of designer;
- To be really innovative in textile & fashion parts;
- Public perception of felting as a market craft, so price level can be questioned;
- Time-management. Textiles are serious part of the collection, time consuming & need mostly to be made by me personally.

Undercover - Camouflage & Masks of Jun Takahashi

2010-06-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

Each time I search around I manage to find something fascinating in regards of my theme. Take a look at images by Japanese designer Jun Takahashi and his label Undercover Love bag and glasses!

"Masks are the new Black"

2010-05-29T19:17:00.000-07:00

Masks seem to have become the latest fascination among fashion designers, as well as the favourite accessory of stylists. Proof are the various editorials, videos and fashion shows where models appear dressed, not only with the latest clothes and shoes but also sporting the latest designs of the new so-called “fashion masks”, which add that extra wow factor not only to the outfit but to the whole “spirit” of the collection.
full article

Moodshifting

2010-05-28T21:30:00.000-07:00

Just in a mood for a change ))) So, have decided to temporary change my template.

Accessories. Making gloves.

2010-05-28T21:00:00.001-07:00

Couple of days ago I went to the UTS library to find some patterns for gloves. Checked all the patternmaking books there - no success((( So had to turn to the ubiquitous WWW ))) There is a pattern for basic gloves:

And also some useful information step by step how to make gloves from different materials.

Accessories. Glasses.

2010-05-27T09:16:00.000-07:00

I'm considering "masking" faces with glasses. There are some ideas wandering around...

Image 2

Image 3

Image 5
Johnson D-B, 2001, Specs Appeal, Shiffer Publishing Ltd.
Crestin-Billet, F., 2003, Collectible eyeglasses, Flammarion, Paris

Accessories. Hats.

2010-05-27T09:04:00.000-07:00

Beautifully draped hats by Japanese milliner Kayama Mariko.

Hats, 2004, Usimaoda, Tokio (p. 36, 68, 7, 22 )

Accessories. Gloves.

2010-05-27T08:17:00.000-07:00

I have done some search looking for inspiration for accessories I would like to design for my collection and found some cool ideas...

Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4 (J. Brand, 2008, ed., Fashion & accessories, Terra, Belgium, pp.151,78)
Image 5, 6
Image 7
Image 8

Jean Paul Gaultier, A/W 1998/99 (left); Fatima Lopez A/W 2002 (right)

Forever 21 (left); Geoffrey Beene, shirt-sleeve taffeta scarf, A/W 1994 (right)

"Valenki"

2010-05-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

Recently have started thinking about what kind of footwear I would like to be featured in my collection. Due to the fact that it going to be "heavily" felted I considered that some traditional Russian hard felted winter footwear could be a good option. Although, as I remember from my childhood all valenki then were in boring grey shades and absolutely ugly. But, it seems there have been some improvements since))) Take a look what I've found at russkie-valenki

Designer Valenki by Slava Zaitsev

That is another web-site, italian made versions russyvalenki

My textile experiments. Other techniques. Part 2.

2010-05-23T06:08:00.000-07:00

Creating the "reptile skin" effect. Some experiments with knitting & smocking.

Under pressure...

2010-05-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

Just a little trick I have learnt experimenting with felting.

It is usually suggested not to steam or heat-press felt but actually if your piece of nuno felt came out a bit thicker and not as even as you planned it can be corrected by heat-pressing it for 20-40 sec. at about 150 C.

SheverDUSHKA's Personal Profile (2010)

2010-05-16T03:29:00.000-07:00

"Rich ethnic background mixed with life experience reflected through created designs, absolute devotion and boundless passion and love for painstaking crafted work and bringing out the best in people is what makes SheverDUSHKA a unique and charming brand.

She believes that there are too many “merged with the crowd” people and dedicates her designs to individuals who prefer to stand out openly and proudly, who is not afraid of changes or scared of the unpredictability of life. She also is assured of that each and every one of us wears “theatrical costumes” suitable for roles one performs at particular time of one’s life no matter how “neutral” these “costumes” may look. So, SheverDUSHKA creates “costumes” for those of us who wishes to emphasize one’s uniqueness and express one’s free spirit rather then just to follow what “the majority” does or wears. According to her, the world of fashion is too preoccupied with mass-production and faceless designs intended to “please” everyone and she hopes to add at least a fraction of balance into such a misbalanced world through her exclusive textiles and designs.

Her designs display intricate work and are complicated with layers of visual meanings aiming through its complexity stimulate one’s ability to think and understand essence behind the surface. Her designs show mix between traditional textile methods and new technological techniques, the bridge between past and future. The techniques utilised by SheverDUSHKA such as hand-felting, minute beading, hand-embroidery, to name a few, make each piece a one-off, even, if there more then one item per each design reproduced. Such crafty approach makes wearer feel special, attended and loved. It also makes it more difficult for her designs to be copied, so, her customers do not risk being “mirrored”. Through her designs one becomes a queen of her own realm rather then a faceless screw of a massive institution. They give one a great chance to get sometimes lost in escapism because we all are, unfortunately, the elements of this massive institution called society.

Another distinguishing point of SheverDUSHKA, apart crafty personal approach, are her exclusive textiles which are also designed by her for each collection and strategically applied to each piece and can not be seen anywhere else. Besides that the amount of pieces reproduced per each design are strictly limited which justifies the price level and guarantees to customer one’s uniqueness being preserved.

In order to make her creativity available to a broader public SheverDUSHKA intends to participate in 3 significant fashion design completions: locally, by entering The Australian Wool Fashion Award and exposing her designs to the rest of the world by applying to International Talent Support / International Fashion Award in Italy and International Design Award in Los-Angeles. Although there can be some hidden stones for her to be able to compete with other participants such as risk of her designs looking a bit to “crafty” rather then “designer”; appearing slightly to complicated on the wave of the global love for simplicity. In case with international contests, the difficulties can raise from remoteness of Australia, in regards of the influence this country has had over her over recent 3 years and that she could loose the touch with other continents tendencies and trends. Although, on the other hand, that can be a point of difference, a sip of freshness that judges look for."

P.S.: BTW, SheverDUSHKA is not the name of my future label but is my personal brand name.

Design Competitions

2010-05-16T03:22:00.000-07:00

There are 3 main competitions I would like to enter when my collection is ready:

1. International Fashion Design Award
(Italy)

International Talent Support/International Fashion Design Award is a competition for fashion design students and newly graduated fashion designers from all over the world. ITS belongs among the most important international platforms discover and support young talents. It is a network of professionals, opinion leaders, international press, students and teachers coming from all over the world to share and evaluate the highest expressions of creativity in the fields of fashion design, accessories design and photography.

2. International Design Award (Fashion Designer of the Year)
(USA, Los Angeles)

This award is awarded to a student who has demonstrated devotion to elevating the art of fashion design. He/she will receive publication of his/her work in the current year International Design Awards art book, to be distributed to museum bookstores nationwide; promotion in an newsletter to 100,000 design professionals and potential clients worldwide; year-long coverage on the International Design Awards website; and critical acclaim by our distinguished panel of judges. Includes such subcategories as: Haute Couture, accessories, textile & materials, Prêt-a-Porte, Avant-garde, lingerie/intimates, sportswear.

3. The Australian Wool Fashion Award
(Australia)

Sponsored by Australian Wool Innovation Limited (AWI) the Awards are designed to showcase the use of Merino wool by national and international fashion designers and students. The rewards include significant cash prizes, gifts of work experience with leading Australian fashion designers and Scholarships to study at recognised Fashion Institutes. Includes nominations such as: Secondary School, Tertiary, Knitwear, Woven, Ready to Wear – Women, Men’s Wear, Children's wear, Recycled wool, Wearable art, Evening, Bridal.

My textile experiments. Other techniques. Part 1.

2010-05-16T01:55:00.000-07:00

There are some other textiles I've designed working on my collection.

My textile experiments. Nuno felting. Part 2

2010-05-16T01:48:00.000-07:00

Some new nuno felting experiments I've done over this week.

Trend Forecasting

2010-05-08T18:07:00.000-07:00

This week we had a lecture presented by a member of the company specializing in trend forecasting - Trend Union. It’s a respectable company with over 20 years of history with HQ in Paris and branches in NY and Tokyo. There are only 20 multi-specialised people working permanently but the company is well known and does trend forecasting, branding; conduct and coordinate trade shows, presentations, exhibitions and education programs for variety of design areas (not only fashion) and lifestyle elements such as food, habits, people’s ways of traveling, etc. For instance, Woolmark, Dupon Lycra, Swarovski, L’Oreal, Bally, Phillips, Nissan, to name a few, are among their clients. Usually forecasting is done for 2 years, but sometimes prediction can be addressed for longer period.

The lecture lasted for couple of hours and there are some main points regards of future directions of the design and lifestyle development.

- Customers will by with their touches as well as with their eyes
- The border between woman and man will proceed blurring
- Fair trade will be becoming more and more important
- Branding finally will reach its humanic state
- Interior & object design will proceed occupying top sport leaving to fashion the second one
- The increase in importance of sustainable lifestyle
- Fashion will become more about “sold and used” rather then pure fantasy
- People will more and more tend to pay a bit more for products of a better quality

Regional specifics (up-to-date stage):

- Paris is not trend savvy
- The trendiest country is Japan. There is just more of everything and a better quality
- India is hard one to “break” into. They maintain their own independent approach to design as well as in lifestyle
- China is not into forecasting until it shifts from copying to creating
- Russia and Eastern European countries in regards of trends are “behind” the Western world by approximately 20 years
- Best Australian contribution to the world is (surprisingly (!)) food

That’s about it. Some food for little grey cells, isn’t it?! )))

Colour Palette

2010-05-08T17:54:00.000-07:00

This week I spent couple of days working in dye shop – creating my colour palette. It is not finished yet, but getting there. Here it is:

Oh, Romance, romance...

2010-05-06T01:19:00.000-07:00

There are some proper photos from the show:

Photos_Marie Claire_Romance was Born_Australian Fashion Week 2010

Video

You could probably guess how reporting on Romance Was Born is related to my project?..
First of all they are my favorite Australian label. Moreover, there are my blood and sweat in that collection too because I am one of the guy's "little helpers" as I'm currently doing some work experience (or internship) for them. So, it is related, may be not directly to my future collection, but to me developing skills and progressing creatively. Still can't believe how great it all look together, when I saw (and sometimes helped) most of the pieces turned from nothing into Wow!thing! )))

2010-05-05T10:05:00.000-07:00

Just got back from Romance Was Born (read my previous post) show within Rosemount Australia Fashion Week 2010. IT WAS INCREDIBLE, especially set up!!!
Luke and Anna chose the perfect location (MacLaurin Hall, The University of Sydney) to present their Spring/Summer 2010-2011 collection named "Renaissance Dinosaur". Unbelievable how great everything came out eventually. You can't imaging what was happening backstage... But it worthed 1,5 hour of waiting.
Congratilations L&A! You are so talanted!!!

Try to enjoy some shots from the show. Although their quality obviously is not capable to convey amazing outfits and show's mood. (Should through away my camera a get a new proper one! )))

"Mentors". Romance Was Born

2010-05-03T12:30:00.000-07:00

Luke Sales and Anna Plunkett met studying fashion at East Sydney Technical College in 2003, a few-filled party nights and the creative pair became the best of friends, a dream of starting a label together was formed – and so Romance Was Born. Fresh after graduating Anna and Luke were selected to attend The Forth International Support awards in Italy. On the other side of the world they turned down internship with Galliano. The lure of starting their label was to strong and although flattered, they kindly declined the offer. Since establishing the label talented duo has participated in several fashion weeks, has gathered many prestigious awards including the recent one when they won Woolmark Young Designer Award in 2009. So, being quite new label the duo has managed to become successful and to occupy a strong position within contemporary Australian fashion scene.

Romance Was Born collections are irreverent and fun loving. As Luke himself mentions: “We like to have fun with our collections. Fashion after all, is pretty funny” (p.144). Their lavish aesthetic often includes a pastiche of craft work like appliqué, tie-dying and crochet, those fabulous hand detailed features that set their label apart from the flippant trends of the fashion madding crowd.

Being a young label they still are quite limited in resources but thanks to their outstanding quirky designs they have attracted variety of sponsorships (from Pandora and Swarovsky crystals, to new a couple) and have moved from creating collections contented with one-offs pieces only to more down-the-earth “ready-to-wear” ones. Nevertheless, the duo still takes the same care of “wearable art” one-off pieces as it does about more commercial interpretations.

Another feature of the label is that Romance Was Born does most of its production in Australia with some exclusion for beaded and embroidered pieces. They insist on supporting Australian manufacturing industry and hold to the vibrant Australian characters that help them to stay honest to their label’s distinctive style.

Personally, I love this brand and consider it the most unconventional and cool one in Australia. Just like designers of the label can’t stand weird, technical fashion. Their aesthetic is more “cheerful”, it is about “creating pretty things”, it is about having fun and sharing it with your customers and that is a very close to the vision I have about my own space within the fashion industry. I find these guys highly inspirational because they have managed to find a perfect compromise between doing what they are truly passionate about, to be able to keep their distinctive, sometimes mad and very crafty style, from being swallowed by faceless mainstream trends and, at the same time, to successfully allocate themselves within Australian market. That is kind of a balance I really want to learn how to reach.

Inchley, N. 2009, ‘A true romance’, Vogue (AUS), July, p. 142-147

McCourt, G. 2010, ‘Real style. Anna Plunkett’, Vogue (AUS), March, p. 96-98

Take a look

2010-05-01T00:23:00.000-07:00

I've found an interesting and very related blog being kept by textile student.
Such a petty it is in Austrian or may be German(((
But some images are very inspiring! )))

It's a textile world

My textile experiments. Nuno felting. Part 1

2010-04-30T23:58:00.000-07:00

Haven't done much writing recently because have been concentrated on textile designing for my collection. There are some more or less successful experiments I have come up with so far. I feel like getting somewhere for the one who has never done felting or nuno felting before ))) The process is, by the way, pretty time consuming and a quite a workout. At least some alternative to GYM I have never managed to force myself to get into )))

Technologies. Nuno felting.

2010-04-26T19:59:00.000-07:00

My collection will be heavily based on such textile technique as felting and particularly its advanced version - "nuno felting". There is some introduction of that unique textile creation method.

"Felting" (which is thought to have originated in Asia) is one of the oldest textile processes and was used for hats, wall coverings, boots, blankets and the covering of yurts. Fibres, usually wool or other forms of animal fleece or hair, are manipulated to form a densely interlaced mass which can then be flattened, moulded or otherwise shaped. Felting is an efficient form of insulation.

"Nuno" means fabric in Japanese. Nuno felting is a process which melds loose fibre, usually wool, into a sheer fabric such as silk gauze. This creates a lightweight felt that can totally cover the background fabric or be used as a single decorative design. The Nuno felting process is particularly suitable for fine garment making, since silk-backed felt ensures a stable felt that will not stretch out of shape like normal felt. Because it is lightweight and easy to manipulate it can also be dyed more readily than traditional felt. Other fabrics or open weaves can be used as the felting background, resulting in a wide range of textural effects and colours.

NUNO FELTING BASICS

Step 1 Lengths of hand dyed silk gauze were arranged on a long table which was covered with a cut piece of a swimming pool cover. Traditional see-through bubble wrap can be substituted. Next, thin bits of hand-dyed wool woven were arranged onto the gauze. Due to time constraints, we 'decorated' only the ends of our scarves.

Step 2 These layers were covered with a thin, almost sheer, nylon material. Having several hands helped to keep the roving from being disturbed as it was positioned. Next, cool water was worked into the layers.

Step 3 A bar of soap, fitted into a nylon sleeve was rubbed over the material.....along with more water until everything was fully saturated.

Step 4 The layers were carefully rolled up and tied tightly with strips of nylon (panty hose worked great for this task). Now the hard work began. Using the pressure of hand and arms, this 'log' was rolled back and forth on the table....for what seemed like hours....but was probably only 20 mins. This friction begins the process of matting the layers together so the fibers can work their way into the gauze.

Step 5 About every 50-100 rolls of the 'log', it was unrolled and checked for signs that it was beginning to felt. Until the fibers stick to the gauze (when they can no long be picked up between a finger and thumb), the rolling continues. Once it does, it's unrolled and more agitation on just the scarf is required. This again means the addition of soap and water and lots of picking up of the material and slapping it down onto the table. This where it can get messy.

The work is finished when the gauze has shrunk up and gotten distorted as the wool fibers have penetrated the material, becoming one.

image from

"Textilicious". Marianne Lovink

2010-04-25T01:15:00.000-07:00

Modern life is filled with contradictions. Beauty as a concept can be no longer defined easily.

That the vision which Canadian artist Marianne Lovink presents in her incredibly gorgeous sculptural installation “Hanging Garden” made from medical-use plastic that is “heat malleable”. The piece is “evocative”, “seductive” and “organic” and took 3 months to create. Lovink works with the plastic underwater almost at the boiling point. Her hands may remain immersed for ours at a time beneath the surface of the water as she stretches, cajoles, and teases the white plastic into its new forms. Each piece of the sculpture is hand-dyed with an aniline dye she mixes herself.

“I am interested in our perceptions of mutability and how we relate to hybrid form in light of the more disquieting aspects of the modern genetic research….by emphasizing the visceral, sensual qualities of the forms, I hope to disturb initial assumptions and engage the subconscious” comments Marianne. She wants her viewers to struggle with the dichotomy – surrealness versus recognizable forms, sensual yet viscerally repugnant, conscious/surface versus subconscious/deep recognition.

Fraser, J. L. 2005, ‘The Terrifying Beauties of Marianne Lovink’, Surface Design Journal, winter, pp. 42-45

This piece of art is not related to fashion but sooo “textilicious”!!! And thought provoking. To make people to revise, to reconsider their perceptions and embedded assumptions is exactly what my fashion/textile collection is aimed at.

"Textilicious". Thea Bjerg

2010-04-25T01:11:00.001-07:00

Another incredible textile designer/artist from Denmark who specializes in thermoplastic and laser-cut techniques.

Thea Bjerg is regarded as one of the most original textile designers in Denmark. She often merges craft techniques with industrial processes, and experiments with ultrasonic cutting and welding, laser cut and industrial pleating which have led to crepe-treated silks, spiraling scarves, heated-fused fabrics and pleated wraps. Bergs fabrics have a unique translucence. The base fabrics she chooses for her pleated textiles are often diaphanous and the tiny folds in the material’s surface both capture light and diffract it to create a striking texture.image1
“Textiles can cover us and shroud us but they can also attract the gaze of others. This is something that I find compelling about sea life that many of the colours and textures that draw me to them enable them to hide from other creatures” (Thea Bjerg about her Aquatic collection).

It is again a sign of chameleonism, isn’t it?

image2
Quinn B. 2009, Textile designers at the cutting edge, Laurence King Publishing, London, p.154-163

“Mentors”. Gaudi

2010-04-22T18:00:00.000-07:00

My favorite Gaudi's fabulous whimsical creations.
His genius has made Barcelona the most beautiful and unique European city.

Park Güell (1900-1914)

Sagrada Família (1884 -...)

Casa Batlló (1905-1907)

Casa Milà (La Pedrera)(1905-1907)

Images from: Gaudi 2002 Barselona guide, 4th ed., Editorial Escudo de Oro S.A., Barcelona and my own photographs

“Mentors”. Anne Maj Nafar

2010-04-22T00:59:00.000-07:00

Owing to fact that my future collection is going to be textile orientated and heavily based on such textile technique as felting, precisely nuno-felting I chose as one of my mentors textile designer/artist who specializes in that method of the fabric creation.

“Anne Maj Nafar is a part of a new generation of designers rebelling against mass-production and uniformity. In contrast to impersonal uniformity of modern technology, her work combines the raw and untouched wuth luxurious silk fabrics in a statement of the unification of “original basics and modern refinement”. Nafar integrates hand-felted fabrics with natural materials such as animal fur, organza, pongee and Klotzel linen and cotton. She uses the nuno-felting technique – consisting of wool fibersfelted together with a woven material, such as cotton, silk or linen – as well as merino and knitted wool. Transcending the innate human impulse to control, Nafar enables her fabrics to “grow” and develop with a will of their own, encouraging natural “imperfections” and patterns.”

Bio:
Anne Maj Nafar was born in 1965 in Denmark. She first studied textiles at the Hellerup Textile College in Copenhagen in 1991, then received a Diploma in Technology in Knitwear from the Stoll Company Course Center in Reutlingen, Germany in 1992 while studied Industrial Design at TEKO till 1996 and, finally, done MA in Fashion Design Technology at London College of Fashion in 2006. Since 2001 she has been a lecturer and Fashion Design Technologist at the International Academy of South Denmark where she continues to learn and inspire.

Black S. ed., 2006, Fashionising Fabrics. Contemporary textiles in fashion, Black Dog Publishing, London, p.180-185

“Mentors”. Prada

2010-04-22T00:33:00.000-07:00

There are some images from Fall/Winter 2007 ready-to wear collection by Prada below. The reason I’m posting them is that I find utilized by her textile designs absolutely beautiful and the way she “blended” fabrics gave me an idea how I could approach my own textile designs.

There are also some supporting images with natural sand ripples (on the right) and textile design by Yoshiki Hishinuma from her Spring/Summer 1995 collection (on the left). Just some inspiration and the way it can be interpreted through textiles.

left image from Black S. ed., 2006, Fashionising Fabrics. Contemporary textiles in fashion, Black Dog Publishing, London, p.50

“Mentors”. Alexander McQueen

2010-04-22T00:20:00.000-07:00

In connection with recent death of Alexander (Lee) McQueen, the infinitely talented maestro of the fashion world, there were some many words said and articles written that I don’t see what I could possibly add. Just want to express my endless admiration by his genius and post some images from his last women’s collection “Platos Atlantis” which inspire me and give me some directions for embellishment I would like to apply working on my collection.

originals from www.fashionising.com

“In-betweeners”

2010-04-21T23:58:00.000-07:00

Last class for the subject I was required to start this personal blogs (“Professional Practice for Fashion & Textile Designers” – Gosh, quite a long name!) we did some questionnaire to find out what kind of person you are with bias towards personality traits and characteristics suited for self-employment.

The findings, although, were interesting, but for me hardly surprising. In 3 out of 6 categories such as being introvert/extrovert, planning ability and creativity (in general) I happen to be “in-betweener”. Thus, as it appears I am quite an obvious chameleon even from that point of view. I’m very mood-dependent. That’s why I can be shy or can be outgoing, can be creative in my approach to problem-solving and can get really stuck, always make plans and “to do” lists but, in practice, find it highly complicated to follow them. Anyway, it’s good to know that I know myself pretty well )))

“Hungry for the words”

2010-04-21T23:55:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! Long time “not seeing”! Got a bit lazy…)))

Recently read a small article in MX (Thursday April 15, 2010, p.6) about blog readers being more impressed by the amount of written words and frequency of updates rather then by the context of the written.
“Susan Jamison-Powell, a PhD student at Sheffield Hallam University presented her findings at the British Psychological Society’s Annual Conference. She had questioned 75 participants on the blogging site livejournal.com, which shares posts about daily life. …”The more words a person has contributed, the more attractive they were rated by the other members of their community. The strongest factor was found to be the total number of words they had contributed over the week,” said Jamison-Powell. Being positive and interesting did not have the same effect.”

So… although, I personally have always believed that quality is much more important then quantity it seems like that rule does not apply to keeping the blog. As I promised at the beginning I’ll do my best and will start to bombard you with posts. Nevertheless, just in case if study is not that precise I’ll try to keep them interesting and informative as well. See you very soon!

Collage & background images

2010-04-11T00:43:00.000-07:00

This is a concept/mood board created to illustrate design conception of my future womenswear collection "Homo chamaeleanus"

These are some of images I created to use as changeable wallpapers for the blog.

"We're fated to pretend"

2010-04-10T23:07:00.000-07:00

I find that lyrics of this song greatly suits to my design conception.

"Time to Pretend" by MGMT

I'm feeling rough, I'm feeling raw, I'm in the prime of my life.
Let's make some music, make some money, find some models for wives.
I'll move to Paris, shoot some heroin, and fuck with the stars.
You man the island and the cocaine and the elegant cars.

This is our decision, to live fast and die young.
We've got the vision, now let's have some fun.
Yeah, it's overwhelming, but what else can we do.
Get jobs in offices, and wake up for the morning commute.

Forget about our mothers and our friends
We're fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend

I'll miss the playgrounds and the animals and digging up worms
I'll miss the comfort of my mother and the weight of the world
I'll miss my sister, miss my father, miss my dog and my home
Yeah, I'll miss the boredom and the freedom and the time spent alone.

There's really nothing, nothing we can do
Love must be forgotten, life can always start up anew.
The models will have children, we'll get a divorce
We'll find some more models, everything must run it's course.

We'll choke on our vomit and that will be the end
We were fated to pretend
To pretend
We're fated to pretend
To pretend

Yeah, yeah, yeah (x 4)

Lyrics
Music

xoxo sheverdushka

Shoe-art

2010-04-07T07:15:00.000-07:00

Being a genuine “shoeholic” I just couldn’t possibly pass these gorgeous pieces by Marina Dempster – visual artist and photographer born in Mexico and based in Toronto, Canada. Unwearable but absolutely fabulous!
"My current series draws from a fascination with the idea of shoes being an extension of the body through which we transmit information to the brain about the terrain over which we travel. The confounding high-heel, while being everything that pinches, elevates us in inches, and inevitably makes us more sensitive to the ground we walk on."
Marina Dempster refers to her work as 'sculpture' using the term's secondary definition as “a natural indentation or other marking on a plant or animal.” Her primary technique is a contemporary translation of the pre-Columbian Huichol art of ‘transformational yarn painting’; preparing a form with a new skin of bees’ wax and pine-resin (traditionally called cera de campeche), which is then meticulously embedded with yarns or beads with the pressure of the fingertips and other improvised tools.
This decidedly labour intensive and thus contemplative technique is a key to Dempster's process as an artist and is a means for her to make sense of sensation. Her resonant sculptural metaphors are personal expressions of thoughts, dreams, intuitions and aspirations and are intended as a celebration of the collective human imagination and as a reminder that there are transformative and polychromatic ways of being, thinking and orienting oneself in relationship to the world's biosphere and ethnosphere.

“A Good Print”, "Ebullient", "Mutable", "Horny", mixed media: found shoes, bees' wax/pine resin, glass seed beads, feathers, yarns, dyed badger hair.

Moody humaeleons

2010-04-05T04:18:00.000-07:00

Chameleon’s colour shifting is strategic and directed by lizard’s mood just the same way human beings react towards “outside intrusion”. As the matter of fact, the influence of a mood has an immense impact upon human’s behaviour and judgment. The way society members process incoming information and extend at which they tend to mimic others highly depends on a state of the mood.

Recent researches demonstrate that apparently positive mood signals that environment is safe and therefore one is more likely to rely on “existing knowledge structures, such as stereotypes” 1) and “adopt automatic behaviours” 2). While negative mood creates a feel of uncertainty and necessity “to be on guard” 3) which leads to individual being less easily influenced by other’s behaviour and mimicry tendency getting reduced.

1), 2), 3) Baaren, R. B., Fockenberg, D. A., Holland, R. W. 2006, ‘The moody chameleon: the effect of mood on non-conscious mimicry’, Social Cognition, vol. 24, no. 4, pp.426, 428, 427

Chameleonism

2010-04-05T03:35:00.000-07:00

Fashion is “a phenomenon” which displays most clearly the “contradictory human desires to “fit in” and “stand out”” 1) The fact is that human beings construct their identities through clothing 2) and “fashion their identities out of the repertories of roles to which they are exposed” 3) In other words each and every one has to “fabricate an identity” and series of “personas” in order “to perform one’s roles in socially expected manner” 4). Due to the fact that non of the “cells” of society “matrix” is “tailor-made” but rather “taken-of-the-rack” every individual has to adjust oneself, has to “fit in” and therefore, has to utilizes ones “chameleon” ability 5).

Initially, the term “chameleon effect” and its counterpart “chameleonism” were coined based on assumption that chameleons are animals that exclusively change their colours to blend in with their current environment in order to escape their enemies 6).

The term “chameleon effect”, is presented and described in a positive light emphasizing “the naturalness and unconsciousness” of this “non-goal-dependent” mimicry mechanism utilized by humans to increase “likability” and “ease of interaction” 7).

The term “chameleonism”, on the other hand, is not scientific and is used to portray some kind of deviant obsessive practice of constantly faking one’s personality so as to “respond to challenge or danger” and in an attempt “to blend inconspicuously into the group” to be able to manipulate others for the sake of own advantage 8).

Nevertheless, the recent discoveries in biology demonstrate that previous assumption about the nature of a chameleon’s colour change is not entirely true and that these reptiles predominantly apply colouration change as a way of communication, then as indication of the mood-shifts, and as reaction to weather change, and only in rare cases it gets utilized as a pure defense mechanism. Therefore, surprisingly, human beings have much more in common with these animals as it is widely believed. Our “social bodies” change their “colours” or “skins” as a way of representation of oneself to the rest, as a way of communication with the rest through designed image.

1) Entwistle, J. 2000, The fashioned body. Fashion, dress and modern social theory, Polity Press, Cambridge, UK, p. 116

2) Woodward, S. 2007, Why women wear what they wear, Berg, Oxford, UK, p. 9, 20

3) & 5) Scheibe, K. E. 1979, Mirrors, masks, lies and secrets. The limits of human predictability, Praeger Publishers, NY, USA, p.73

4) Rubinstein, R. P. 1995, Dress-codes: meanings and messages in American Culture, Westview Press, Colorado, USA, p. 44, 47

6) & 7) Chartrand, T. L., Barg, J. A. 1999, ‘The chameleon effect: the perception-behavior link and social interaction’, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 76, no. 6, pp. 896, 893, 899, 901

8) Rosen, B. C. 2001, Masks and Mirrors: Generation X and the chameleon personality, Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., viewed 25 January 2010, here, p. 7, 9

Assimilation

2010-04-05T02:21:00.000-07:00

Fabulous and quirky brooch by Natalya Pinchuk (judging by name she should have Russian roots))) made of wool, copper, enamel, plastic & thread. It’s a miniature landscape system portraying “an ironic act of assimilation” when “the artificial becoming absorbed into landscape of the body”.
(Legg Beth, 2008, Jewelry from natural materials, A&C Black Publishers, London, p. 119)

The face and the mask

2010-04-05T01:08:00.000-07:00

This elegant, delicate and beautifully presented interpretation of mask by Julia Manheim (2001) I found in a book named Sustainable Jewellery edited by J. Manheim (A&C Black Publishers, London, 2009). Artist took pictures of her hand in various ways; these photographs then were processed, photocopied in black & white, and finally photocopied on coloured acetate. The most interesting aspect is that “mask” is reversed and shows what normally is covered. The hand “camouflages” the face making it “concealed” through being revealed. Absolutely gorgeous and very considered!

Intro

2010-04-04T22:52:00.000-07:00

Hi, everyone! I’m sheverdushka.

My blog as my on-line “face” just like me will be a chameleon. It will change colours and switch moods.

This blog is a part of a Uni assessment and is something I have never done before. Keeping this blog is going to be quite challenging for me but challenge is the exciting part of it. So, hopefully you and I will get something useful from it and have some fun)))

This blog will be basically a design process diary of some sort but, first of all, the aim of my blog as well as my direction as a designer is to prompt people to think for themselves, to learn to analyse variable information and to make ones own well-considered opinion rather then one based on assumptions. So, you all are very welcome to join any discussion and to express you opinion in regards of the posted information.

The posts will include variety of written, visual and audio data I have been and will be coming across working on my dissertation and final fashion collection. It will be mainly about power of fashion and chameleonism as a common way of “social camouflage”.

image from