Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sewing. Show all posts

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Queer + Couture = Queerture

A picture tells a thousand words. It is true, so I will let the pictures do most of the talking. The Queerture fashion show was hard work for everyone involved but a joy and a community effort. It was hardest yet for Laura Luna, Creative Xicana, Queer Socialite, and Stylist. Tania Hammidi called Laura, the June Ambrose of the Queer world. Totally fitting. Luna worked for months to put the Femme Fashion portion of the Fashion show together and tapped her seemingly endless resources of AMAZING women and the results were captured by fabulous photographer Kat Helter below. Visit Kat's Portfolio here for more on Queerture!


 
                         

Sparrow Fox of Sparrow Beauty Artistry led a terrific team. Sparrow, Courtney and Jen were focused  & on their feet for something like 10 hours doing spectacular hair and makeup for the 18 looks that went down the runway! Clockwise: Courtney is rocking my SweetLeigh Frida headpiece (detailed below) as she prepares to braid Lizeth's hair; a lovely shot of the three stylists; Jen works on Coordinating Stylist, Laura Luna's hair; Sparrow is making Audrey pretty in pink; Courtney and Sparrow finish up with Lizanne and Karla's hair. 

Custom Frida Kahlo Headpiece by SweetLeigh
Custom Pink Sunburst Hat by SweetLeigh
These are the two headpieces by SweetLeigh made especially for the show, modeled by gorgeous Jennifer and lovely Lizeth . I got to feel useful while I soaked up the backstage highlights and did some light adjusting on Lizeth's skirt,  made by Mari of  Vaya Con Fashion. Mari makes cool skirts from Gguayabera shirts! Below Laura Luna wears a  Custom SweetLeigh dress she commissioned. It is refashioned and resized from a vintage ribbon lace dress. Isn't she gorgeous!?

Stylist Laura Luna leads the Femme team down the 
runway for the finale in a custom SweetLeigh dress.


 
  

Above are adorably fierce Anayvette and Krystal rocking their inner "Cholas". Lizanne beautifully channeling Earth mother. Natasha shining in her sari, trained in the Indian dance kathak, glided down the runway.  Luie struts in her fave coveralls she rocks to work at Killer Design & Stylin'. Lastly the finale was Lauren who seemed a natural throwback to circus life in the 40's. Fabulous! 



Juan, Ricardo or Danny? Not sure which one of the fab PA's is rocking the official team shirt in this pic! But I do know that the shirt was custom made and donated by graphic designer/model Natasha of She Said, She Said!

Every Femme look originated out of  a collaboration between Laura and each model. Fashion done with tremendous soul, pride joy and respect for individual style. Sadly all of the models and images won't fit in this blog, but lucky for us it is all on video darlings! It was a joy to meet and work with each and every person involved with Femme Fashion and Queerture! Read more about the other contributing groups/designers at Queerture on Facebook.

xo, Vanessa

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Sew in Love!

Darlings, September is National Sewing Month! Whether it is indie fashion, or fashion House Couture it's sewn and that is reason enough to celebrate National Sewing Month.


As you may know my brand SweetLeigh is committed to sustainability. My shop items are made from revitalized gently worn garments, vintage finds and dead stock fabrics. I believe that sustainability in style and design is made that much easier when sewing. 


To celebrate National Sewing Month I found some inspiring ecofriendly and sustainable designers who make chic beautiful clothing from gently used clothing and/or non traditional materials. Surprisingly wearable, fabulous and unexpected.




Linda Loudermilk







All of the above designers, use recycled materials, sustainable plant based fabrics like soy. Recycling or ReVitalizing your wardrobe is a great place to begin sewing.

I love re-imagining my existing wardrobe. Regularly you will find me editing dresses, changing a skirt length, stripping dated details or making my wide leg pant into a cigarette style. As you start practicing re-imagining YOUR wardrobe you may find you have much more to wear.

One of my favorite resources and sites for sewing is BurdaStyle. Burda is an international maker of patterns, but the BurdaStyle website is a community of sewers. On the site you will find patterns, contests and projects to participate in. People ranging from beginner to expert with their own fashion lines explore, post their latest creations and give feedback to others. 


Check them out, and maybe I will see you there!