Bat Mitzvah dress

Mother and Daughter bat mitzvah Dresses

I had a wonderful project to work on this winter - dresses for a travel-themed bat mitzvah for a mother and daughter.  They had very developed ideas about what they wanted and had thought through every detail.  I helped them execute their ideas and guide them through the process.  We were delighted with the results and had a great time working together on this important milestone. 

Sadie's Bat mitzvah dress

Sadie's Bat mitzvah dress

The "world" fabric was printed at Spoonflower who does both custom and stock printing on fabric and paper.

Sadie was born in China and we used a red embroidered line to mark her  journey from her birthplace to her new home in New York city.  Tiny crystals mark all the places mother and daughter  have visited together.

Sadie was born in China and we used a red embroidered line to mark her  journey from her birthplace to her new home in New York city.  Tiny crystals mark all the places mother and daughter  have visited together.

Her Mother also wanted her own dress to represent all the places they had traveled together.  She collected travel patches from as many of these cities as she could find and gave them to me to sew on her dress.

Navy Silk Faille with Travel patches and continents

Navy Silk Faille with Travel patches and continents

We also showed the two continents representing Sadie's birthplace and her adoptive home  cut out in wool felt and connected with a red stitched line.

The day of the bat mitzvah was one of the rare sunny days in a week of cold and rainy weather

Batmitzvah Day

Batmitzvah Day

Around the World in Sadie Days 

Around the World in Sadie Days

 

Otherwise happening in the studio this month 

cotton stripe blouse 

cotton stripe blouse 

 

Swatching for clients-  choosing silk linings

Placement of print is always crucial- here it is gracefully figure-enhancing

African Print "Cyclone" dress 

African Print "Cyclone" dress 

I love texture and design- this piece is reminiscent of decorative stonework

Appliqué on silk charmeuse 

Appliqué on silk charmeuse 

A corner of the studio with blue and orange 

Stripe silk pants, cotton shirt w/ embroidery, ponté knit camisole-  silk charmeuse top and skirt w/ barbed wire tie

Stripe silk pants, cotton shirt w/ embroidery, ponté knit camisole-  silk charmeuse top and skirt w/ barbed wire tie

sketch for artist colab dress

sketch for artist colab dress

detail - cotton tuck dress

detail - cotton tuck dress

Book page from "Love in Venice" at the New York Public Library-  flaps lift up to show the courtesans' undergarments

Book page from "Love in Venice" at the New York Public Library-  flaps lift up to show the courtesans' undergarments

Subway mosaic near the Museum of Natural History at 81 street

Subway mosaic near the Museum of Natural History at 81 street