Green Italian Suiting (Selvedge Collection)

Jacket - Italian light weight wool in green/ blue with orange selve edge reading:

A RELIANCE PRODUCT FOR EXPORT TO EUROPE 

Collar - Featuring the selvedge the collar is reinforced at the base and then folded in a consatina style. The with an adapted costume technique for shaping this neckline its then handstitched to the body of the jacket to flatter the jaw and neck line. A biker style neck strap fastend with buckles found in a saddlery supply store, reading 'made in italy' on the reverse side. 

Lining - Upcycled cotton with red/ white floral print, only half lined to suit the californian heat.

Centre Back and Front - Brass equestrian buckle and loops featured and used as fastenings. Front falls well open or closed.

Cuff - Sitting elegantly just below the elbow, the cuffs also use the querky selvedge.

Dress: Navy chiffon with pin tuck detail down centre front and vintage green embroidered trim and turquoise jersey stretch lining.

Fabrics: Sourced from designer remnant fabric warehouses, Downtown LA, CA.

Photographer: Elijah Star

Model: Emily Graham Handley

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.