Burda Style For people who sew

On January 14th, V Magazine’s size issue hits select news stands and there is already much buzz about over the argument of professional models vs. “actual, real, normal, regular, realistically (or whichever term you choose)” proportioned women. V magazine, which is known for pushing the envelope on fashion journalism, invited Karl Lagerfeld (infamous for being “fat-phobic”), to shoot a fashion spread of burlesque dancer Miss Dirty Martini for the issue (pictured above left), after Lagerfeld called German magazine Brigitte “absurd” for banishing professional models and depicting real women in their pages for good. Renegade fashion photographer Terry Richardson shot a professional model next to a “normal” sized woman (pictured above right) for the issue as well. Does one look better than the other? Don’t they look like Photoshopped images of the same girl? A couple of years back fashion officials in Madrid set a minimum body-mass index for runway models. Efforts gained urgency after 21-year-old Brazilian model Ana Carolina Reston died of anorexia in November 2006, weighing only 88 pounds (40 kilos). Clearly some changes need to be made in the industry.

I know we’ve heard much from BurdaStyle members about wanting to see more patterns for realistically-sized women’s bodies and your desires for us to utilize actual “plus-size” models for our larger sized patterns (as you’ve quite pointed out that our beloved Alden is not plus-sized according to the real world) in photo shoots. It’s too bad we cannot afford Hungry author and international plus-sized model Crystal Renn (bottom right), who I find absolutely stunning, with her Natalia Vodianova eyes & pout, to pose for us. She is the only plus-size model to have ever appeared on a Harper’s Bazaar cover and has been spotted on the runways of Vena Cava and Heatherette. Lets hope this trend will stick.

What do you think of the use of professional models? Would you like to see larger women on runways? In magazines? Do clothes look better of waif-like figures?

I tend to see the world through rose colored glasses and find heaps of inspiration hidden within innocent fairy tales of imaginary lands full of beauty and intrigue. There is a bit of a resurgence of fairy tale fashion happening now, and I’d like to see more of it. Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland comes out sometime this year, Roald Dahl’s novel adapted for the screen by Wes Anderson, Fantastic Mr. Fox, the stop animation wonder made quite a splash, and we’ll never forget our childhood favorite fairy tale coming to life in Spike Jone’s Where the Wild Things Are (which I have yet to see as I’ve mixed feelings).

I have to say, cinema this year (well, last year really) has been right up my alley. There were 3 fashion documentaries worth mentioning, Valentino: The Last Emperor (loved the pugs! loved the seamstresses!), that Vogue one where Grace Coddington really steals the show- talk about someone who lives in a fantasy world! and Lagerfeld Confidential was just plain surreal. Remember how his fingers were always dripping in Tom Binn’s rings? Well, Binn’s just keeps on getting better & better (and more famous which makes me sad, but happy for him I guess): Binns has designed a 35 piece collection for Disney Couture with prices ranging from $100 to $500 which will appear on a larger scale in stores such as Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s and boutiques including Kitson and Fred Segal. It features tea-cup necklaces and heavy, macabre, decadent body decor.

In honor of Alice in Wonderland, Parisian department store Printemps asked Alexander McQueen, Christopher Kane, Bernhard Willhelm, Haider Ackermann, Manish Arora, Ann Demeulemeester and Maison Martin Margiela to invent one-of-a-kind dresses for Alice. These beauties are pictured above, as is Binn’s Alice jewelry.

So out with it! Who is making fairy tale fashion out there? I want to see pictures! xoxo

It’s cold here in New York city. No, that’s an understatement, it’s freezing: with the windchill & snow & ice it can be dreadful. Must dress warmly. There are many chic coats out there that look wonderful but leave you shivering in your boots. I have numerous pretty vintage woolen coats & capes, the kind that are sharply tailored and smartly cut from English houndstooth and Irish wovens, but cannot block the wind if their imaginary little lives depended on it. What is a gal to do to stay warm?

2009 has been quite an interesting year in fashion. Designers have pulled inspiration from the thriftiness of the depression era to the masculine curves of the ’80s, from an early ’90s sporting look to ’40s inspired Grecian goddesses. With looks ranging from Casablanca to Blade Runner, fashion seemed to have no rules or regulations this year.

What were your favorite looks of 2009? Where do you see fashion moving? What do you want to get rid of? See more of?

Tell us your opinion in this slideshow!

Does anyone actually have any time to make themselves a to-die-for Holiday dress this season? I say if you’re going to make anything for yourself in the next few weeks that New Years Eve probably provides the best excuse to make something amazing! I was going to make an inspiration board for you all but I’m feeling generous this year: I’m giving you patterns! Well, ideas of which patterns to use to make the new year even more glorious!

Top left features a lovely lounging lady wearing the Minna dress. By using a metallic embellishment you can shine like the North star. Here’s another Minna variation to dream about as well. Make it in a gem colored tone and pair it with a cozy cardigan.

Moving clockwise the next dress is simply gorgeous and definitely has a stage presence. If you want to look like a ballerina from the Nutcracker you should make something like this show stopper.

Nothing says sophistication like knife pleats and wool. The Lancey dress embodies all of those traits & more. Download the pattern here.

Be the Belle of the Ball with bows and pleats in this cute holiday dress. Wear it with style with vintage gloves and a cape. Get the pattern here.

Compete with shiny ornaments and make a Madison in red dress, which is based off of our original 40s dress pattern.

Ruching, lace & gathers bring to mind, for me at least, dated period costumes. But quite recently many designer’s have brought these old & loved techniques back to life with a new and increased vigor! Do you use lace in your designs? Do you make pieces with excessive gathers or pleats? Do you know how to incorporate ruching into your work?

Well, whether you love to utilize these techniques in your designs, or if you need some tips, this week’s posting should send you in the right direction.

Kasia Skirt
A ruched waist with an adorable buttoned-up placket is a great skirt for the Holidays.

Nadine and Nadine Plus
A sophisticated & sassy gathered coat which looks great in velvet or crepe wool.

Tikva Trench Coat
Recently featured but too good to not talk about again, this trench coat offers full swing & gathers.

Amanda and the Amanda Plus
A cute and flowing blouse for any time of the year, make it in a chiffon & wear a camisole underneath.

Do you think you could sum up your fashion personality in 1 word? I see fashion magazines do it all the time, and then offer outfits to suit your look. But being the talented designers & sewers we are, doesn’t our fashion personality vary from day-to-day or project-to-project? I know that I have a very specific silhouette I stick to at least 5 days out of the week: one of my Dahl dresses or high-waisted skirts, some sort of cool stockings or black opaques, a vintage or worn-in cropped cardigan and long, unkempt hair. I feel most comfortable in Dahl & vintage. All I can think of is Penelope Cruz in Volver, she wears outfits like that everyday, but what amuses me is that she is supposedly dressing like a middle aged, not dressing to impress, not-very-well-to-do housewife, but I think she looks stunning (yes, I know she’s insanely sexy- but these outfits make her even more so)! The prints & textures of her attire is what really kills me. So would my label be “Spanish Housewife”? Or perhaps more appropriately suited would be “Woman in an Almodovar Film”.

See my Almodovar Heroines Slideshow here!

Regardless, I would like to know if you label your style. Do you have a strong fashion personality? If you would sum it up in 1 word or phrase, what would it be?

Do you think velvet is a Do or a Don’t? Do you use velvet in your designs? I love the look of velvet- the soft sheen of gem colored velvet looks elegant and royal, and printed velvet can be gorgeous. But velvet can also look dated- circa 1980 when it’s done with really huge shoulder pads in badly tailored blazers. It also doesn’t photograph very well if you are using an indoor flash. I made a dress with a velvet top and silk jacquard skirt- there was just enough mustard, gray, black & sage printed velvet on top to create an interesting design with this daring print, as the muted brown silk made the look more mellow. I also made a skirt from the same velvet material and let me offer you a piece of advice: Don’t make a tulip skirt out of velvet printed velvet- especially if you want a flattering look!

How do you do velvet?

Check out my velvet slideshow here!

Here are some links to BurdaStyler’s Velvet Creations:
Red Velvet Jacket

Black Velvet Coat

Velvet Cloche with Feather

Bright Yellow Strapless Dress

The Steampunk
I was so excited when I saw This Dress, an Anda dress variation, made by 4 loving hands, full of gorgeous detail and punch!

The Artist
With art school flair, this dress with hand-drawn imagery is stunning! The It Was Written dress, made from Ichigogirl’s Afternoon Tea Top pattern was lengthened & lovingly made into a dress.

The Designer
This adorable Gray Cotton Dress made by our user Dientry can be used as an inspiration piece for a simple, classic statement, with the allure being in the smartly chosen fabric.

The Bohemian
This embroidered bag’s simple shape allows for you to manipulate the pattern into your own true vision- maybe try out your skills in embroidery. Make it here.

The Girl Next Door
A wrap dress can be quite versatile and if you make it with long sleeves in a knit, you can wear it all year round. Try out this Free Wrap Dress pattern by our member Erdronen and enjoy!

The Rockers
Every gal & guy needs a vest for Fall, and if you’re inspired why not make one for yourself and one for him? For her, use The Louisa Vest and for him, The Jason Vest. Would make a nice Holiday gift, wrapped together in a box, tied with the same bow…I’m rambling.

The Fashionista
Leggings have come into mode, and they are not going anywhere. To look chic and be warm this Fall you can make a Custom Pair of Leggings for yourself in virtually any color for a mere $2 the pattern is yours.

Nordic Beauty
Stay warm and show off your creative flair with the Elana Hat & Gloves. If knitting is not your forte, your problems are solved: this pattern only requires you getting your hands on a heavy knit fabric and all you have to do it sew it up!

The Victorian
Capelets can turn any old outfit into one with an entirely new personality. The Anouschka Capelet, created by our member ParaNoire, is a nicely tailored accessory based off of our Steffi jacket. It still has the same charm, with the gathered sleeves, and yet you save hours on sewing time.

Mary Wales Loomis makes her own shoes- at times in the same prints as her dresses! And you know what? You can to. How? Mary wrote a step-by-step book which is in it’s 4th revision, on how to make your own shoes from SCRATCH. Applause!

I am completely obsessed with the shoes Georgina Goodman designed for the Erdem A/W2009 collection (pictured top left & right). It is a good thing I cannot find them for sale anywhere because they make have broken the bank. I wanted to do a posting simply featuring beautiful fabric-covered, painted or hand-made shoes but then I stumbled upon one of sweetest books I have ever seen and had to tell you about it. It’s not that the website itself is especially interesting, but the story behind it is, and you can order Mary’s book to try out your skill in shoe-making. I am definitely asking Santa Claus to bring me a copy, can you imagine making shoes to match your wardrobe? …..dreamy. If you are really into these hand-made gems, check out Osborn Shoes, which are hand-crafted in Guatemala City and lovely- they are the Aztec and plaid printed kicks pictured above.

Now we want to know: has anybody made their own shoes?

Calling all Innovative Fashion Designers…the Plastics Make it PossibleSM design competition began October 29th. Hosted by GenArt and Plastics, citizens of the 50 United States have the chance to win $10,000 and a ticket to New York city Fashion Week. For complete competition rules and regulations visit GenArt’s official website. The entrant must submit two separate, original designs of womenswear made entirely of these approved materials. Clearly the plastics industry is looking for some support, so if you haven’t gone green yet, here’s a chance to show off your talent in Lycra or polyester chiffon!

Submissions
Submissions will be accepted starting on October 29, 2009. Deadline for entry is December 1, 2009. Users will be able to vote on their favorite designs from October 29 to December 15, 2009. Winner will be announced on or around December 21, 2009.

Are you dressing up for Halloween this year? If you’re stuck on a costume idea you should take a look through Alexander McQueen’s archives to be fully inspired! His runway looks are fit for the likes of Blade Runner or a Philip K. Dick novel, they are truly extraordinary! When I was little, I always went as a specific character or theme: Debbie Gibson, Fortune Teller, Punk- but as I get older, I find it more exciting to just make something extravagant (a la McQueen) and have a ball. We have some great ideas on BurdaStyle, like our Static Cling

This week I wanted to focus on an age group that we rarely feature: kids! As Halloween is right around the corner I’ve created a collage of some adorable costume ideas for kids as well as links to How-Tos, video tutorials, and patterns. Some of these costumes need very few ingredients to make you and your little one smile. Happy Halloween!

PB&J Sandwich

Basic Materials: Two square pieces of upholstery foam cushions, light brown and purple felt, suspenders, brown paint. Make It! -Kaboose

Over-sized woolen coats, ombre stockings, lace blouses, hand-dyed silky shifts, pointy shoulders, tailored jackets: this Autumn beckons romance. When the weather turns and we spend more time indoors (or spend even more time figuring out how to stay warm out-of-doors), nostalgia seems to creep in and thoughts turn to old times. It’s a wonderful time to cozy up and make a new coat, our Nancy pattern has romantic and vintage inspired elements and it comes in most sizes. Layering can be so fun and our Sarah capelet is the perfect ingredient for warmth. Our leggings pattern is so versatile you can virtually make a pair in every color. A cute pleated skirt is one staple you will want to make for Fall, pair it with a lace camisole and colored tights!

Happy Autumn!