COUTURE TECHNIQUES |
This gallery exhibits the work Lizzie completed during her month-long study abroad experience at the Paris American Academy in July of 2011. Enrolled in a couture techniques program, Lizzie learned hatmaking, feather manipulation, shibori dying techniques, nunofelting, and hand-pleating couture techniqes. She had the great pleasure of working with two of Madame Gres' seasoned seamstresses, mastering the pleating technique symbolic of Gres' work by replicating a Madame Gres jersey dress.
Lizzie's experience in Paris marked a turning point in her evolving design aesthetic, redefining her outlook on the role of fashion in shaping our lives. She credits the increased maturity, sophistication, and quality in her work to her experience in Paris. Lizzie strives to inspire women to dress with greater elegance and confidence, a revival of a historic mentality found abundantly in Paris.
Steamed and molded rabbit fur hat trimmed with sisel headband accent.
Handmade headpiece design featuring pheasant and rooster feather accents.
Constructed replica of Madame Gres jersey dress, worn with a hand-dyed shibori scarf and tie belt Lizzie made to style her look.
The first and third silk scarves were achieved with arashi pole-wrapping shibori techniqes. To achieve the desired bold color variety in the first scarf, concentrated dyes were applied by hand after discharging was complete. In order to achieve the shadows and depth between the magenta and indigo in the third scarf, discharging and overdying methods were used. The middle scarf, inspired by a trip to monet’s garden, was achieved with the ‘scrunching’ method of shibori dying.