Thursday, February 14, 2013

Things That Make Me Happy...Part 2.

Right now, this week to be specific, I am in design mode for The River. A majority of my characters are all sketched out, they are just awaiting their color to be applied and to give them life. Color renderings are always a fun part of the design process.

However, I am still stumped with one character and I am becoming a mad woman to try and figure out what this character would look like. I have ideas, research and starting points, but its like when you have something to say and its on the tip of your tongue and you can't remember it. I will know it when I see it though!

In order to help give the muses a kick-start I've been pouring fashion magazines. No luck...so far.  I've also discovered that You Tube is a vault of fashion shows, so I've been obsessively watching everyone's Spring/Summer 2013 collections for inspiration triggers as well. I forgot how much I love watching fashions show, because at one time, I did want to be come a fashion designer...but life had other plans for me, costume design for theatre.

It just so happens that everything that makes me happy right now revolves around the fashion world, which takes me back to my roots of why I became interested in designing clothing and then costumes in present day. In a search of inspiration to help motivate me I stepped into a fashion vortex this week, which is quite alright with me.

So, here are some things that make me extremely happy right now...go check them out!


*Chanel's Spring-Summer 2013 Haute Couture Show. I'm a fan of Chanel as well as Karl Lagerfeld (current designer for Chanel) after watching the documentary "Lagerfeld Confidential" a few years back. Amazing and intriguing if you like fashion. So I know anything he designs is fabulous.

I don't know why, but I love this fashion show. I love how Lagerfeld likes to show his collections in the Grand Palais in Paris most of the time, a beautiful building. I'm feeling the lace legging boots A LOT, I'm feeling the little feathery things in the models hair, I just love all the clothes and the whole ambience. I know, its a little out there for most people, but I enjoy it.


* Gucci Spring/Summer 2013 Pret-A-Porter (Ready To Wear) Woman.  I am ALL ABOUT COLOR in my wardrobe right now and this show sealed the deal. I think I love almost every piece in this show, especially the clothing in Blue, Turquoise and Green.




* "Bill Cunningham New York" I saw this documentary over the weekend and it is a beautiful movie that captures love for fashion and clothing in a very pure way.  The documentary is about 83-year-old fashion photographer, Bill Cunningham, who takes fashion photos on the streets of New York of every day people and on the fashion runways for the New York Times Style Section.

How Bill is so passionate about his photography and clothing was a reminder of how I use to feel when I first started designing, the film is a welcome and amazing kick-my-pants reminder of why I love designing. 



Watch it. It will make you feel good and shed a few tears...I know I did.






* "A Man's Story", which is another fashion documentary, this time on English Men's designer, Oswald Boateng. I had never even heard of this designer until I saw this film, who knew? But he is making a name for English men's tailoring on Savile Row and I would love to see his shop the next time I make it to London. 

The documentary covers the span of 12 years and shows the highs and lows of personal and professional markers in his life. You can even see how Boateng's style changes and gets cleaner and more precise with time. I just enjoy seeing his energy, passion for menswear, his love for color and detail. This film makes me enjoy menswear even more! Loved this!








Sunday, February 10, 2013

Love Note Swap

I think I found a new hobby in participating in the projects that Art House Co-Op puts on. I know, amidst designing a show and finishing a thesis, do I really have time to do other projects? But, these projects are fun and its something to do for myself it makes me happy. I always have time for things that make me happy, as we all should.

This time, I am sending a little bit of love to a perfect stranger in the form of "Love Note Swap"...and in return, I will get a little bit of love back, of course in the act of doing this and a bonus that someone will send me a card as well.

I think we all need to spread a little more love, regardless if it's a project....go spread some love today!

"Love grows by giving. The love we give away is the only love we keep. The only way to retain love is to give it away." -Elbert Hubbard






Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Draw Mode

I am in total drawing mode right now. That's all I seem to be doing and its good, very good. Cranking out first draft sketches for The River to see what I like and eventually what will make it to the stage. We had our first reading yesterday, well actually, the first reading with all the designers present and it was great!
I love when I am able to come to readings, because I'm sitting there looking at the actors becoming their characters with my ideas already in my head and making adjustments or confirmations of my designs. I can start to see how the costumes are going to look and that's always an amazing feeling.  Only a month now till rehearsals start and its going to get busy!

So for now, I will turn on my music, which happens to be a lot of music by Bonobo.

Bonobo is an musician I discovered several years ago and I enjoy his music because for some reason it makes me want to draw every time I hear it, its calm and soothing, yet also invigorating as well. Let me get back to drawing.

Enjoy.