Tea Party

I have just been into Marbella Golf and been given these beautifully packaged individual teas. Wonderful idea for wedding favours with a tea party theme with some unusual flavours such as Green Tango, Oasis, Cocoa Truffle and Citrus Mint. Images from www.teaforte.com. Hoping to do a tea party now with the lovely cupcakes previously posted and these teas!

Lucky Me

January '08 Lucky Magazine. Thanks to the editors of Lucky magazine for selecting me for their Next Big Things feature. The article asked half a dozen boutique owners from around the country to predict trends for the new year and model their favorite picks (me, with my champagne tastes, picked a precious-yet-pricey leather jacket by Development). You can read more about my whirlwind trip to NY in the debut issue of The Changing Room, due out at the end of January!

Who's Your Dancer?

Oregon Ballet Theatre and photographer Alicia Rose included a look from my Fall 2007 collection for the 2008 "Who's Your Dancer?" campaign. Shown: La Garçonne jumpsuit with black ball buttons and rust wool beret (OBT provided the toe shoes--and the gentlemen escorts).

Inspiration: 1930s evening gowns

I'm starting to design my 2008 bridal collection, in anticipation of The English Dept.'s annual bridal fashion show in February. To get the wheels turning, I've been paging through old 1930s pattern catalogs looking at vintage evening gowns. This is my favorite era for dress silhouettes--dramatic and elegant without being fluffy, poufy or upholstered. I just know there's a warehouse or barn in Kansas somewhere where all these bygone patterns are tucked away...these are the thoughts that keep me up at night.

DIY Style Vodcast Appearance

DIYstyle is a great resource for budding designers, and I was honored to be asked to do a vodcast interview with its hosts, Allyce King and Melissa Watson. These sweet girls were very good sports--I thought they said "podcast" over the phone so when they showed up with lights and cameras I had a mini-panic. Hence my rakish appearance, although I can't make any excuses for that facial expression. Watch the interview here.

Dovecoat

A vintage coat makeover. The lining, an oily-looking peach satin, was soiled and shot. The coat's hem was coming apart and the cuffs had been nibbled by moths from previous eons. I think it originally had a fur collar that had been ripped away. I shortened the coat overall and cropped the sleeves to just below the elbow. New horn buttons from the Button Emporium and a new grey lining smarten it up. This was my first experiment re-lining a coat...not as straightforward as I thought it would be. I gave myself permission to do a so-so job, but when I took the coat apart, I saw how hastily it had been made in the first place--crooked seams, misshapen pockets, lumpy sleeves. Not everything was good in the good old days. I think I managed to improve on the original.

Graham and Green

Check out this fabulous website full of some seriously gorgeous decorations. I absolutely love the crystal tree and the tealight holders they have.

www.grahamandgreen.co.uk