Blue woolen twisted sleeves (Selvedge Collection)

Jacket - Material found in the scrap bin of one of my favourite fabric shops in the East End, London! Again, a selvedge I couldn't cut off and get rid off it looked so great.

Centre Front and Back - Selvedge featured as layers on the collar/ lapel and then at the back, tapering down to a fish-tail.

Collar - the work in progress pix shows the pad stitching done on the canvas. This creates the perfect curve to the shape and the handstitching keeps it subtle as it moves with the body. Its strong enough to stand up alone but not so tight from rigid machine stitches that its stiff.

Sleeves - the upper and lower parts of the sleeve are made from different sides of the fabric. They are cut so that they twist down the arm, from the shoulder to the wrist. They are fitted and then taper at the bottom so that you can fold them up to a 3/4 sleeve with the ends flicking out at the elbows OR/ you can wear the sleeves at full length where the hand rolled hems curl snuggly into the palm of your hands.

Red Irish Herringbone Wool (from the selvedge collection)

Model: Emily Graham Handley

Fabric - Red Irish Herringbone Wool (salvaged ends of the reem)

Collar - Reclaimed Mother of Pearl buttons attached along neckline, inside and out for the collar to attach to. Collar is red on one side and herringbone on the other so it can be retached and reversed (or worn without) according to preference.

Sleeves - All working buttons with vintage trim loops. Can be worn down and fastened or open and folded upwards.

Centre front - Features the white selvedge with red frayed edges down the front (also featured on sleeves). Pleat detail running either side from the empire line down.

Hem - weighted hem in the style of old couture techniques used byt the like of Christian Dior and Coco Chanel.

Centre Back - Box pleat running down from yolk and weighted with chain down the centre back.

Lining: Italian silk with machine embroidered detail of meadow grasses.

Vintage dresses: customised

Upcycled: These dresses were huge!! Found in th charity shops of South Kensignton, I just loved the prints....and the stories they told after the lives they'd already lived! They were unwearable though - so long and wide, tent-like! I loved the print and the worn, softness of the fabrics. I altered and customised these unloved charity shop throw outs so they now thrive as a cute summer dresses, complete with their own matching corselette belts.

Indian Sari/ Brown embroidered dress

Upcycled: Traditional Indian dress passed down from my clients Mother in Law. The gesture of the gift and the fabric was all so lovely, we just had to make the sack like silhoutte wearable. We tailored the side seams in, box pleated the sleeve ends and brought the hem up by several inches! All excess fabric gave us enough to make a matching belt! We loved the neckline and the embroidery and made a feature out of the top sheer layer.  Chitavan now has new every day piece that she feels authentic in shows off her petite figure!

Client/ Model: Chitavan Pandya Patel