Ooooh! New Samples!!

Posted: August 29, 2012 | Author: | Filed under: Design, Occasional Updates, The Workroom | Comments Off

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!!!

Sleeves are back!

Posted: August 1, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Design | Comments Off

From some sneak peeks I’ve seen, sleeves are back in fashion for skaters!    This makes me personally very happy for several reasons, the primary one being the ability to have a lot more design room.  This doesn’t mean that we’re talking long sleeves to the wrist, but the idea that arms are an accessory and can have presentation impact makes sense from a choreographic point of view.

 

I know there are the skaters that love the little tank dresses, and don’t worry, those dresses will never be out of fashion but if you look at the most extreme end of the sleeve continuum, and for that I mean the arms of Evan Lysachek (complete with feather gloves), those arms made an impact!

 

Choreography is the whole body, you betcha his choreographer didn’t leave the arms to last!

 

The feathers though, eeemmmmm, I’ll get back to you about that.

Why I will tell you to order that dress from China via eBay

Posted: July 13, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Design, The Workroom | Comments Off

Yes I can make anything.    With enough time and materials nothing is impossible.  But it would be so much easier with a $4,000 sequin sewing machine.  Or high temp dye vats.     Or a factory of workers equipped with all these things and a fabric mill next door.    That’s the reality of the economic zones of China.  Take advantage of it.    What?  Shouldn’t I support Catherine, the local dressmaker?    Yes, but be smart and use globalization to your advantage.    It’s all about Economics, and  if they’ve got an entire factory and can make dresses for $49.99 go for it!

 

Buy a dress from China via eBay.  I can provide advice on the good and not so good sellers.    Then, bring it to me for the final alteration.   Sometimes they get it right and it fits perfectly, but not always, and it’s not a large expense (starting at $30) to have it custom fit, as well as personalized to you.

 

Also, think about customization.  It’s great to have the dress for $19.99 (plus $35 shipping) from a high profile seller on eBay, but chances are, someone else is going to have that same dress or something similar.    Last year at a competition I saw three dresses from the same very distinctive Chinese factory.

 

Trends come and go, but I’m always here, ready to make something unique, custom, or simply inspired from a photograph.

 

Skating, Baton, Gymnastics, if it’s got spandex in it, I can do it.