Tweeds, cowls and dancers

February 11, 2024 in Couture Studio, couture clients, inspiration, Special Occasion dresses

This year has started with lots of work. - outfits for clients’ events near and far - new African fabrics from Vlisco waiting to be cut and some new dance costumes for a piece I designed in 2019.

Trisha Brown dancers in “Working Title” photographed on French tour by Delphine Perrin

There were some new dancers in the company since I made the original costumes- The dancer on the left is the 4th one to wear this costume with a bit of tweaking. The middle costume is entirely new and the fushia orchid pants are a new addition. I didn’t use any stretch in the fabics (all cotton & silk) The pants must accomodate a wide range of movement and stand up to many wearings and washings! The first thing the dancers do when trying on the pants is a deep plié. I am always so relieved when they perform well.

Coming to the Joyce Theater NYC March 26 - 31

I was contacted by someone from my website who wanted to give a gift certificate to his sister. It took about a year for her to contact me, but when we met she ordered a dress and chose fabric of which I had a small piece in my studio. The fabric was a block print from India, I didn’t remember the vendor. After a google image search I was able to find someone in India who printed the exact pattern for me. She was very happy with the dress and buttons that I found . her brother also bought her a mohair coat from my studio as a second gift .

Both of these tweeds were brought to me by the client. I had the double sided silk satin from Paris which matched beautifully. The velvet trims tied it together and the raw edged ruffled collar was the finishing touch!

multi -tweed jacket over silk satin dress

The fabric in this dress actually has strands of tartan cloth woven into it,

Wool tweed with generous pockets and self fringe detail on sleeves

These blue silk fabrics were brought to me by a different client . She had a niece’s bat mitzvah in February. I made her a dress and coat of a fairly simple shape which let the fabrics speak

Ice blue silk and wool sheath dress with cowl neckline

Silk brocade rhinestone embellished fabric in coat over silk & wool cowl dress

35 yards of wax- printed cotton to inspire and play with all washed and waiting. . .

Thank you for visiting! Please check back soon❤️

In the Pink

December 29, 2018 in Dance, Art Dance Couture

Cecily Campbell in a recreation of Trisha Brown’s performance piece, “Ballet” at BAM October 2018

I puckered stretch lycra/spandex to simulate the original fabric in the bathing suit + tutu Trisha wore in the 70’s when she performed this piece on a soho rooftop

Pink tweed jacket with Ponté knit skirt for client

Ponté knit cardi with appliqué worn with Bamboo knit leotard and lace overlay silk/wool skirt

Magpie Jewelry made from scavenged bits of this and that

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.

Changing Seasons

September 24, 2017 in Special Occasion dresses, Dance Costumes

Although it may still feel like summer, Fall is here and I am looking back and thinking forward.

Summer was an intense work period of costume reconstruction for the Trisha Brown Company.

I was privileged to work with the artist Terry Winters in recreating his costumes for Groove and Countermove (debut Sept. 2000) for which he also created the sets.

checking the pant hems in the rehearsal studio

I found some luxurious bamboo knit in luscious colors for the leotards and then went to Dynemix to have them dye the cotton/lycra twill for the pants to match the tops. They did an amazing job and were delightful to work with on the short deadline that I gave them.

The piece was performed in August at Jacob's Pillow along with another piece for which I did the reconstruction of my original designs "L'Amour Au Theatre"

These pieces will also be performed at the Joyce theatre in NYC in Dec. 2017. To see the calendar of upcoming events and performances click here

Groove and Countermove photos: Christopher Duggan

L'Amour Au Theâtre set : Trisha Brown photo;: Brooke Trisolini

This past March marked the passing of our beloved Trisha Brown who I have been so honored to work with over the past 15 years and through whom I have met and worked with so many amazing dancers and collaborators. Through Trisha I was able to create costumes at the Paris Opera, both the old Garnier and the newer Bastille , and worked in a castle in Germany and the famed Aix-en-Provence Opera as well as creating costumes for Trisha herself in her duets with Steve Paxton and Elizabeth Streb.

This summer a beautiful memorial was held for Trisha at the Whitney Museum.

A still from the film "Slow Dancing" by David Michalek dress: Elizabeth Cannon

New costumes for "Geometry of Quiet" originally designed by Christophe deMenil

fitting in dance studio of Geometry of Quiet one-piece jumpsuit

Also this summer I created another Batmitzvah Dress, a niche I am happy to say I have been acquiring some experience. Like wedding Dresses, it is always very touching to be involved in creating an outfit to commemorate an important life milestone.

SALE ITEMS

I have some lovely dresses in my studio from seasons past that are available at reduced prices. As I work on new designs I invite inquiries about these couture samples. And I welcome visits to my atelier in Chelsea. You may contact me on the contact page to make an appointment.

Devourè silk velvet dress - available

Brown silk charmeuse - available

African Poly-print dress - available

Draped Tissue cotton dress - sold

Faux-pearl necklaces

Dutch wax African print with flower appliquès - sold

Dark Brown silk velvet bias-cut dress - sold

Red wool draped dress - available

Flower print silk chiffon bias dress - available

Black silk velvet with appliquè- sold

20's inspired silk charmeuse and organza dress with beaded lace sleeve detail - available

Beaded back detail of 4-ply silk bias-cut dress - available

summer

Tiffany Lamp at the N.Y. Historical Society

Sique Spence wearing my "Hearts" Tunic and wool pants

Thank you for visiting. Please go to my contact page if you would like to be added to my mailing list for studio sales twice a year or upcoming events.

Colors! Prints! Openings!

July 18, 2017 in Art Dance Couture

Beautiful Joseph Franck fabric in dress for client

Mary Heilmann wearing Elizabeth Cannon blouse at her opening at the Dia Dan Flavin Art Institute in Bridgehamptonphoto: Jill Levine — Mary Heilmann wearing Elizabeth Cannon blouse at her opening at the Dia Dan Flavin Art Institute in Bridgehampton
photo: Jill Levine

Devin Dougherty in Elizabeth Cannon Wax-print dress in front of Josh Abelow paintingphoto: Taro Suzuki — Devin Dougherty in Elizabeth Cannon Wax-print dress in front of Josh Abelow painting
photo: Taro Suzuki

In and around the studio

October 17, 2016 in Art, Dance, Couture

The last few weeks have been a mix of work in the studio, work on dance projects and lots of art. Here are some randomly ordered fragments of the paths I have been on-

camel cashmire jacket and Dutch Wax African print dress

I am very influenced by the seasons and generally try and keep pace with the season we are in , unlike designers who design a "line". Couture work has it's own tempo. I will, however, continue to work with the colorful African fabrics throughout the winter in advance of a summer trunk show.

Painting by my dear late friend Ellen Cantor at Participant inc. nyc

Gold Embossed Flower Organza jacket for client

Mary Jones painting at John Molloy Gallery NYC

full length view of pinned dress in process

Ive been developing a dress directly from the fabric this time- using the motifs to suggest the lines of the dress- for example - the neck piece is a circle on the print- I have been draping the dress and then transcribing the lines back onto a flat pattern so that I can remake it.

I am currently so inspired by transforming the pattern in a way that enhances the silhouette and leads to new discoveries. I like that it forms the illusion of a vest or jacket with the orange pattern flowing from the top to the bottom. . .

The dress is filled with pins at this point that I am trying it on to see how it works on the body. I usually have scratches on my arms and back from this process, but it is essential and I am my own fit model!

I went to Gowanus in Brooklyn to an open studio in a charming carriage house to view the work of one of my clients. This blue and orange pot reminded her of a dress she got at my sample sale last summer. We plan to do a photo shoot documenting her in the dress next to the pot and drawing.

sketch for a client for her daughter's bat- mitzvah including an embroidered connection between her daughter's birthplace in China and current home in the U.S. as well as travel patches from all the places they have visited together.   I will a… — sketch for a client for her daughter's bat- mitzvah including an embroidered connection between her daughter's birthplace in China and current home in the U.S. as well as travel patches from all the places they have visited together. I will also be designing her daughter's dress with a map-printed fabric.

I am working on a project for the Trisha Brown Dance Company. They have been re-staging some of their works to be performed in unconventional non-stage environments. I was engaged to redesign these sails for "Geometry of Quiet" which will be performed at the Getty Museum in March. We are working out downsized proportions as the sails have been transformed from stationary to hand-held. They are also making changes in the choreography to accommodate this.

elastic shirred back of "bandeau" for client out of lovely Italian print

summer flowers are still hanging on. . . .in the traffic meridian on my way to the studio. . . .