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Angy's Blog August - September 2008
The trials and tribulations of a fashion designer in the Lake District!
My previous entries:
JUNE - JULY 2008 (Haute Couture - Vivienne Westwood - Wildlife - Dorset Buttons - Magna Carta)
FEBRUARY - MAY 2008 (Lake District Inspirations - Long Blondes - Wedding Show)
There are just four weeks to the first show. Four dresses are virtually complete, while the remaining four have been planned and the fabric has been prepared. My aim is to have 6-7 complete for the first show, and all of them by the second show, That is just over a week to complete each of them.
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1 Atkinson Court
Fell Foot
Newby Bridge
Ulverston
Cumbria
United Kingdom
LA12 8NW
T: +44 (0) 15395 30648
M: +44 (0) 7812 210880
or e-mail us
I would love to give you a sneak preview but - the best I can do is what you can see on the left! The dust sheets don't come off until the shows, or for the new brochure which should be ready to coincide with them! In addition to the new "Spectrum in Foor Seasons" collection, there will be other examples on the stand, including some of my bridalwear designs such as an updated 'Ice Maiden' wedding gown. Must get on now ... lots to do!
We recently adopted a kitten called Felix. He was just 3-4 weeks old when he was found, abandoned on the street. We had been considering finding a kitten, as company for our other cat, another rescue cat who was becoming lonely moping round the house all day, so we didn't hesitate. Felix is without fear and, like all kittens of his age, full of energy and mischief!
This morning, I found him playing with a pincushion. I had taken my eye off him for just a few seconds. The pincushion had been on a shelf, where I had assumed it was out of reach. My heart almost stopped when I saw that he had two pins between his teeth. I removed them and quickly checked inside his mouth . To my horror, another long pin was caught in the top of his mouth pointing towards his throat. I couldn't pull it out so Mike held his mouth open while I frantically searched for tweezers. Two minutes later it was out. I was shaking all over at the thought that it could have been swallowed. Felix, on the other hand was bemused by the attention and galloping around like a racehorse.
REMINDER OF AUTUMN CATWALK SHOWS
DESIGNER WEDDING SHOW -
21 Sepember 2008: Abbey House, Barrow-in-Furness
LIVE THE DREAM WEDDING EVENT
28 September 2008, Carlisle Race Course
CUMBRIA LIFE WOMAN EVENT
10 & 11 October 2008, Rheged, Penrith
I will also planning to have a presence during ULVERSTON FASHION WEEK which may include a catwalk at the show on 15 October 2008
Please keep checking my website or reading my Blog for additional events. Alternatively, Email me if you would like to be placed on my mailing list for future updates or brochures.
"SPECTRUM IN FOUR SEASONS"
Two of the men in my life are sulking! Jack and Felix - my cats! They are banned from my studio and, with all the work necessary to prepare for my autumn collection, they are not receiving my full, undivided attention.
There are less than two months before the first show and I have several creations to complete - not to mention a new brochure, mailshots and advertisements. I am trying not to panic, scared that I will not be able to finish everything in time. But I will do my best and even if I am slaving away at my machine right up to the morning of the first show, I am determined to manage. In some respects the Woman Event is the most important so there will be designs there that could be completed after the wedding events - three more weeks! At least I can call on Mike, my long-suffering husband for the marketing, but first I need new gowns on models for photographs!
I really want this collection to be completely different - unique, outstanding, eye-catching - but wearable. I have decided to call the collection
"SPECTRUM IN FOUR SEASONS"
- it fits perfectly with the lines, colours, fabrics and designs I am working on - and no I won't have a Vivaldi CD attached to an outfit, or violins on the catwalk - not this time anyway!
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WINTER marks the new year with its chilly colours - themes of BLUE and shades of monochrome - snow and ice, frosted leaves and frozen cobwebs draped over the skeletons of trees behind the house. The long nights are silent but for the mournful hoot of an owl, while our breath, condensing as swirling clouds in the frigid air, is illuminated only in the faint light from a myriad of twinkling stars, or the silver moon reflected in the unruffled mirror of the lake. True colour is absent during those never ending hours of darkness, except on that rare occasion when the mysterious Aurora Borealis - the Northern Lights, ebb and flow across the canvas of the winter sky. Otherwise colour and light are provided by the wide range of winter festivals and traditions, from Christmas to Ash Wednesday, Valentine's Day and Candlemas, when bad weather traditionally indicated the end of winter.
The long awaited Vernal Equinox, marks the beginning of SPRING. Pure, fresh Melt Water pours over the crags and rocky screes of the high fells and invigorates the landscape. Blue turns to GREEN, in infinite shades from emerald to lime, as the countryside comes to life with a vengence. Romance is in the air as carpets of daffodils and bluebells colour the woodland floor, birdsong fills the trees and church bells ring out through the valley to celebrate another wedding. There are April showers, Easter eggs, optimism and, of course, laughter - celebrated in Apple Noddy - more of that later before you ask!
SUMMER brings warmth and energy and sunshine to brighten the days. YELLOW dominates as a holiday atmosphere prevails - sunflowers and sand, pollen and buzzing bees, chardonnay and salad cream, brilliant sunsets over the Solway, the Midnight Sun, and a flash of lightning which splits the darkened sky, over fields of rape, mustard, or ripening wheat, and sparks a Wild Fire on the sunburnt moors. This is the time of freedom, of children playing, of music festivals and cream teas.
AUTUMN marks a cooling down in temperature but not in colour. RED is now in ascendancy, from the delicate glow of the Harvest Moon long used by farmers to bring in the last of the hay, to the spectacle of ochre, gold, orange, chestnut and crimson in our forests. Or the brilliant scarlet of rose hips and rowan berries and that classic hallucinogenic toadstool of fairytales, the Fly Agaric. And the heavy grapes being gathered for claret, the blackberries for jam, and the apple cart at Egremont Crab Fair. Or the crackle and roar of the bonfire and fireworks, blazing through the mist and smoke of a damp autumns night, when the hedgehogs and squirrels are preparing for their Hibernation.
The first two shows will be the wedding shows in Barrow and Carlisle and will lean towards bridal and evening wear. However, the 'Big' show for me will be the 'Woman Event' at Penrith for which I will exhibit my entire collection, either on the catwalk, or on my stand, All outfits are guaranteed as one off designs. They can be purchased as they are created, modified to fit as appropriate, or recreated with your choice of fabric and colours. In this case the original would not be sold.
And, for those of you have never heard of it, Apple Noddy is a local term for April Fool!
I have been talking to Sara Gadd today about working together. It is easy to forget that I am not the only artist struggling in business. There are actually many talented, young people out there, trying to make ends meet. Hopefully, by joining forces and collaborating on joint projects we can enhance our chances of success.
Sara is a professional milliner based in Carlisle. She designs stylish, but wearable, special occasion millinery for individual, style concious women. Each creation is unique, made entirely by hand, just like my own outfits. In many respects our creations compliment one another and can be combined. Sara regularly exhibits at shows and events throughout Cumbria, and across the country.
One idea is for Sara to create a hat based around one of my outfit designs, perhaps for the catwalk shows this autumn. I could also use one of her designs to inspire a gown to match. I have a meeting with her in a couple of weels to discuss ideas for the near future.
07765-975108
www.saragadd.co.uk
I have received copies of the Aurtumn/ Winter issue of 'Brides in Cumbria' which is published free of charge vt CN Group. It is a complete wedding guide, crammed with ideas, editorials and adverts for boutiques, venues, limousine hire and so on. It also gives details of forthcoming shows, and in this issue I have my own editorial (see right) and an advertisement.
Although, I am a fashion designer, and my collections feature daywear and evening wear, I enjoy assisting brides with their own special designs. I am completely open minded and sometimes feel that bridal wear is too focussed on traditional white and ivory themes. I recently completed an unusual 'Gothic' design for a bride which incorporated a crimson cloak. My own recent designs, exhibited in the spring included the 'Ice Maiden' (which I may add to the autumn collection, in addition to designs which used orange, olive, silver and black to enhance traditional white of ivory base colours.
Brides in Cumbria (link to current magazine): www.nwemail.co.uk/weddings
JUNE - JULY 2008 (Haute Couture - Vivienne Westwood - Dorset Buttons - Magna Carta)
FEBRUARY - MAY 2008 (Lake District Inspirations - Long Blondes - Wedding Show)
Angy's Blog is written by Angela Morton, Fashion Designer & Dressmaker
Photographs copyright of Mike and Angela Morton
Copyright Romantique Couture 2008
Photographs copyright of Mike and Angela Morton
Copyright Romantique Couture 2008