Winter Sale

December 03, 2023 in Couture, Couture Studio, African/Dutch Wax Prints, Sale Dresses, Special Occasion dresses

Dressing for pleasure

October 26, 2021 in African/Dutch Wax Prints, Couture, Couture Studio, dresses, Special Occasion dresses

Say goodbye to summer and it’s indolent airs , but not to the concept of dressing for pleasure. Dites Bonjour to mixing and layering prints, textures, colors or whatever you like- make dressing an adventure.

Orange Lampas Brocade coat over cotton print dress

The coat is lined in silk charmeuse and has antique filigree buttons collected in Southern Germany concealing hook and eye closures that fasten the coat - shown here also before buttons were added - coat sz 12 - $750. Dress sz 14 - $375.

A cotton wax-print frock coat can be layered over pants or dresses - to stylish effect - Letters and numbers Ankara print is a traditional African pattern - lined in rayon bemberg - sz 6-8 - $650.

Nothing says VIP better than a dress that actually says vip . . Cotton wax print button front dress with semi-belt tie. sz 6-8 - $550.

We got out of the city for the first time since the Pandemic- Had a lovely weekend visit with old friends at the beach.

Back in the studio. . . .

A full cotton print skirt with a belt and dark top has been my wardrobe choice for bicycling along the Hudson River to and from my studio feeling free as a bird!

Continue to stay safe everyone and dress for pleasure! ❤️

Out Again!

June 18, 2021 in African/Dutch Wax Prints, Art, dresses

Captured at High Noon Gallery - at show of paintings by Bobbie Oliver - My Starfish dress and matching mask -

Our Mayoral primary is this Tuesday. . .

Show is up through June 27 at High Noon Gallery at 124 Forsyth St. nyc

Almost Summer

June 10, 2021 in Art, Couture, African/Dutch Wax Prints, dresses, inspiration, Sale Dresses, Special Occasion dresses

It was a busy and productive couple of months. I always love this time of year and especially this year, with covid numbers declining and some activity returning. I was encouraged that people bought lots of dresses at my Spring Sale, which indicates that they see a future in dressing up and going out again.

Sophie in Peacock blue silk draped gown photo: Liz Hafter

I made this dress in 2005 originally as a costume for Trisha Brown to wear in a duet in Lyon, France. We decided on something simpler and I then sold it to a dear client. Some years later this client recommended me to Sophie and her Mom, one of her best friends, to design a Bat mitzvah dress. Now- Sophie is graduating from high school and the friend leant her the gown to wear to her prom. She chose to wear Doc Martins as footwear, (not pictured) which I love!

SALE was the entire month of may, by appointment, at my atelier

The city was gorgeous and provided much inspiration!

I went to the first art shows I had seen in 15 months- Lee Krasner collages at Paul Kasmin Gallery and Terry Winters Paintings and drawings at Matthew Marks Gallery

Spring sale!

April 30, 2021 in African/Dutch Wax Prints, Couture Studio, Sale Dresses, Special Occasion dresses

May 1 - May 31

460 W. 24 St. 1B NY. NY. 10011

Contact me for more info on how to purchase or to make an appointment to visit my NYC Chelsea Atelier

check below for the $100 section

visit my atelier for more !

Wax Print Swatch dress - working outside-in

August 07, 2020 in African/Dutch Wax Prints, Couture, Couture Studio, Sale Dresses, inspiration

This is the first dress I made (this time around) which began my fascination, or re-infatuation, with African wax-print fabrics. I first encountered these fabrics in Paris sometime in the 1980’s in one of the fabric shops at the base of Sacrè -Cœur. I hadn’t really thought about them for a while, when a few years ago I was given a salesmans’ swatch book from AK Fabrics, one of my favorite fabric stores. This was comprised of square pieces of various sizes. One day I decided to open it up and I just began to pin each one onto a dress form in the order that they came in. It was entirely serendipitous, and became the dress you see here. Each side is so different, I wanted to show them all and the pieced-together patchwork, born of necessity. Underneath it all I added a structure of a cotton dress with boned bodice and horsehair hem skirt. Though this dress has been sold, you can view other dresses for sale here.

August sale!

July 30, 2020 in Sale Dresses, Couture Studio, African/Dutch Wax Prints

I will be having a sale for the entire month of August. Usually I would hold a sale in May and part of the fun is social- trying on dresses in the company of other women, while chatting and having a glass of wine. . .

This year is obviously different, so I will be seeing people individually, by appointment or in small family units of 2. . . I’ve been working hard and have lots of new items as well as older ones very enticingly priced! Come have a look, or a peek online. Please reach out to me with any questions-

Stay safe, healthy, and hope to see you!.

Winter Sale !

December 04, 2019 in Couture, Couture Studio, dresses, Sale Dresses, Special Occasion dresses, African/Dutch Wax Prints

I will be having my Winter Sale on Tuesday, Dec 10 - there will be new items as well as older couture stock at greatly reduced prices- if you cannot attend on the day of the sale, please get in touch to make an appointment in the following days until Dec 30. Happy Holidays to All!

Full Moon Friday the 13

September 13, 2019 in Couture, African/Dutch Wax Prints, dresses, inspiration

It’s that time of year when the weather turns chilly- One day it’s summer and the next day is sweater weather. What to wear? It’s been a busy summer with lots of client work and some projects involving antique dresses. I’ve been making under slips for centuries old dresses so they can be brought back to life. My new ideas are still floating around my head waiting to be brought to life. Here is a glimpse back on what I have been doing . . .

A Garden of Dresses

April 07, 2019 in African/Dutch Wax Prints, Couture Studio, Art

“ Sometimes, with exquisite delicacy, a touch of pink was added to the uniform gray of sea and sky; and at the very bottom of the Harmony in Grey and Pink after Whistler, a tiny moth asleep on the windowpane seemed to lend its wings to the favorite signature of the master from Chelsea.”

á L’Ombre des Jeunnes Filles en Fleurs - Marcel Proust

new Dutch wax print dresses in progress in my studio

visit from my niece, Lucy, wearing pontè knit butterfly sweater

Judith Linhares Flower paintings recently at PPOW Gallery in Chelsea

Happy Spring Everyone!

Looking back on Summer

October 08, 2018 in Art Dance Couture, Weddings, inspiration, African/Dutch Wax Prints

It was such a busy summer I haven’t really had time to post, so I am just now transitioning into Fall and wrapping up some projects from the months before.

June was wedding month and I made the wedding dress for my beloved niece (and model!)

The wedding was in Cooperstown New York with a beautiful lake as backdrop on a gorgeous late Spring afternoon. Of course everyone danced and celebrated well into the night.

We worked on the dress for a whole year which was a fabulous luxury.

detail of French Lace (sequined beadwork) on wedding dress

Trunk show in May

My trunk show, given by 2 of my dear clients and friends was a big success and a lot of fun.

2 of my new cardigans in ponté knit with appliqués modeled by the 2 hosts

African Dutch wax-print dress with kimono sleeve

New Dance Costumes!!

I was invited to design new costumes for an older Trisha Brown work called “Working Title”. With very little time I used as my starting point fabrics I had already in the studio. After receiving a green light from the 2 artistic directors of the company I felt free to compose the costumes by instinct using as reference everything I learned from working with Trisha and her style of movement and playful spirit.

An Antique Dress

I was asked to work on a dress and revive it as much as possible for inclusion in the beautiful upcoming catalog of Cora Ginsburg

Cora Ginsburg where I worked restoring a dress from the 1800’s

The dress I was asked to restore was a “Fancy dress” most likely worn for a Ball at a private house in England in the 1820’s

I replaced underskirt with tea-dyed silk tafetta, repaired torn net overskirt with silk crepeline and added original silk band to underskirt

In Memoriam

My beloved Father passed away just 10 days after we celebrated his 97 birthday in August. He was able to attend the wedding of his granddaughter and reunite with his 93 year old brother who he hadn’t seen in 20 years. He was my biggest inspiration and fan. A man of boundless heart and imagination. His brother, my uncle passed away just 2 weeks later. we Miss them.