Little News - BIG CITY!

I was so surprised today to see two recent designs of mine popping up in the NEW YORK TIMES...
I designed this tutu and tunic for Joffrey Ballet Dancers Amber Neumann and John Mark Giragosian for their “Paquita” adagio at the New York International Ballet Competition.
Who knew a couple yards of silk, lace, and some hand embroidery would travel so far, Houston to Chicago and then land in NYC at Lincoln Center.

Mark and Amber placed first in the entire competition, Bravo Bravo Bravo.
I have designed and built for Mark several times over the past few years, and he is always a pleasure and joy to work with. I look forward to many more costume adventures with this fine pair.

here is a piece of the review 6-30-09

"Ms. Neumann and Mr. Giragosian really danced this: the warmth and pliancy of her upper body, the courtesy with which he lowered her slowly to the floor from lifts and the keen musical ear they both showed were genuine pleasures, along with the glow they gave off in their costumes and the remarkable harmony they showed when doing the same movements. "

Get a Lift from this Parade Costume

SEWING WITH HELIUM -----

This years pride parade costume was inspired by the newest PIXAR animated feature UP.

After seeing this lofty adventure i went right to work creating my own gravity defying design.

(top left) I started by hunting down a weather balloon of my own, and draping a Slip cover / Harness over it. I constructed the slip cover out of the lightest poly lining material i could find.

(top right) Mom and Laura came by to check out the progress. After the Slip cover satisfied a spherical shape i airbrushed some ware , tare, and patches over the entire surface.

(above) The headpiece started with a mesh base, and i latch hooked several colors of crystal sheer threw the openings. Once the mesh was filled in with flame like fabrics i coated the entire thing with sealant, and hung it upside down to dry. After the addition of some sequins and a few bits of cellophane i attached it to a WWII inspired flight hat, and wired the inside with several colors of flashing L E D lights.

I made the gondola from several different stretch fabrics and steel skirt hooping.

The flight suit also hearkened back to WWII. I found great research and details for the suit in the book Gear Up , which is full of flight uniforms and great info. The suit is made from cotton sateen. It had 8 functional pockets, and i made it slightly high waisted to help with the proportion of the whole look.

(below) fun with photo shop.

Blue tights for the Joffrey

This is a pair of tights i just finished for a friend dancing at the Joffrey Ballet of Chicago. They will be worn for a contemporary competition piece next week in NYC.
Wiping them out was a great reminder of my days in summer stock theatre where with zooming time lines i would often design a show over a weekend and see it open within the next two. I sketched these tights on Wednesday and Fedexed them on Friday. This rapid turn around is what i now refer to as "summer stocking it." As much as i like to putz and toil in the construction step of a costume, i have also learned how to make something rapidly that looks like to took many more hours of labor than it really did.

I started with a unitard i made out of white 5 oz lycra and drew a continuous stripe from ankle to ankle. Next i cut it apart, widened the stripe, and eliminated the material i didn't need from the torso leaving the strap over the shoulder.
Then i died the lycra pieces along with a yard of skate mesh a light royal blue in a hot water bath. Half way threw the dye i removed the skate mesh, and added a little evening blue to make the lycra a little bit richer. After the dye and dry i appliquéd the skate mesh behind the stripe drawn on the lycra, then i removed the lycra from the stripe leaving the skate mesh behind. Lastly i flashed airbrushed in a few other shades of blue, and then white and black high and low lights.

When does the Current fade on a social-LIGHT

The Magnificent Marie ball lives on. It has been over three months and my three lovely ladies keep showing up in the society pages. I'm surprised they're still getting press out of this event. It was a very fun design project, Astrid (far left) Kim and Alicia (third and fourth from right) were a blast to create for. Of course i did bend a few rules for the restoration look, however i was very refreshed to see some ladies missed it all together, notice the white little bo peep southern bell . Now this is a secret but one lady pictured here offered the fellow styling hair for my women cash to ensure her (plastic) wig out did my clients. Thank goodness he didn't take the bribe. Even if he did the saboteur wouldn't have had lady Amherst feathers, a sculpted peacock hair comb, or a rhinestone encrusted silk butterfly to top off her architectural hair. I'm on pins and needles to discover what next years ball has in store.

Arachno(photo op)

(pictured left to right - Rod Castle, Osito Founder - Myself- Garrett - Randall Jobe, evening coordinator- Marcus , Osito chairman)

This picture was taken this evening at the Osito Foundations fund raising gala at South Beach in Houston. When approached last Sunday to design and create an auction item for this Sundays event i jumped at the chance. Osito not only raises funds for children affected by HIV and AIDS they also donate thousands of Teddy Bears around the world to these children.
The black widow bodice has over 100 pieces and the tutu ruffles exceed 130 yards in length. I have to send a huge thanks to Tina, Mary Clare, Sandy, Garrett, and Kevin for all their wonderful help. As well I'm glad to report the the costume raised a very pretty penny during the live auction. The headpiece was my favorite part, look carefully there's even a fly caught in it's web. I also had fun doing Garrett's Cirque inspired make up. We are all excited to see this one out during next years Halloween block party!

The last thing is closure....... NOT!

Most often in a costume shop you hear that the last step in garment construction is closure, and maybe a hem. Once zippers are set, hooks affixed, and elastics adjusted I'm just getting started.
I don't call it done there, i pull out my aircompressor and fire up the airbrush. The tutu pictured above is one i just finished for a dancer at the Joffry ballet in chicago. All of the pieces recieved a few airbrush details after completion. The "warmth" of this costume is owed to not to just great fabric, and precision sewing but to PAINT. There are only three colors of fabric here, but what i did was lay various lace scraps over the bodice and top plate and airbrush deeper purples, lighter pinks, and a yellowy gold over the lace (using it like a stencil). The sleeves and gold lace under the top plate also recieved a blast.

The below image is far from a delicate tutu, it is a body suit i designed and created with some awsome help from my buddy Tina Ladner for Houston Ballets Dolls House last season. It is assembled from many interesting fabrics, but its real interest comes from PAINT, airbrushed threw sports mesh in the same fashion. The left of the picture is pre paint.


Aside from adding depth and texture you can use the airbrush to to tweak fabric colors.

Mr. Postman Look and See , Is there a POST CARD in your bag for me?

(front) above, (back) below
I just finished creating postcards to accompany the launch of my new website. Adobe Photo Shop is very intimidating, i'm more suited for Adobe Photo Mill, Boutique, or possibly Outlet. After watching an awesome friend for several days in creating my web page I must bow down, and applaud those of you with the computer touch, rather then my "touched" approach.