Exciting Times at South Coast Fashion Week

This year is proving to be one of the busiest and most exciting ones in my working life as we are having a stand at so many shows this year. The first big show is South Coast Fashion Week which is being held at the BIC, Bournemouth, just down the road from me.  This is just next week 9th, 10th and 11th May and we are busy getting lots of stock ready.  The new collection will be on display, the samples can be bought but also we will be taking made to measure orders on all of the dresses. We are also showcasing our hats and the new hair accessories that have been made such as the ram horns and leather crowns.  Here are a couple of the small boaters, there are another two in production, a black one and a mauve one which hopefully will be finished in time.

I will also take this small sailor hat.

I have been making leather necklaces as well which will be on sale.

We will also be taking our JSKs, OP dresses and sallopettes, there should be something to suit everyones taste.

We would love to see you next weekend, pop by and say hello.   It should be a great show, lots of different stands, music, entertainment and much more, here is a link to the South Coast Fashion Week web site so you can see what is planned http://www.southcoastfashionweek.co.uk/.

‘Victorian’ Weekend House Party

My recent photoshoot at The Cottonwood Boutique Hotel (http://www.thecottonwoodboutique.co.uk/) in Bournemouth (photos by Andy Smith of Poole Portraits, http://www.pooleportraits.co.uk/) told a story of a weekend house party which were popular among the upper classes in Victorian times and here is the story told in photos.

ARRIVAL

WAITING TO BE SHOWN TO ROOM

AFTERNOON WALK IN THE GARDEN

AFTERNOON TEA

SUNDAY BEST

ENTERTAINMENT

COCKTAILS

TIME TO GO HOME

Thank you again to The Cottonwood Boutique Hotel, Poole Portraits and the lovely Anna.

All garments and fascinators are from  ShinkuRose’s winter collection available from Etsy, https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/ShinkuRose or direct from https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shinkurose/593986427294641.

PHOTO-STYLING

We were really happy with our finished Tricorn hats but needed to showcase them both on line and to prospective customers as we want to make them to order.

Usually I have got some idea of how I would like to present what we have made but this time I struggled so I am very glad that we met Joanna Jacobs at the Boscombe Vintage Market where we both have stalls. Joanna is a talented artist and photographer and an excellent stylist, have a look at her work on her facebook page http://www.facebook.com/JoannaJacobsPhotography?fref=ts.

The day started bright and early and we met her just after 8.30 am in a beautiful small village in Wiltshire

We started with the black silk hat and this was dressed up with furs. I had already applied my make up but Joanna suggested lips in the style of Clara Bow which did look great.

The dovecote was the background here

Next up was the lovely burgundy velvet and Joanna cleverly styled this with layers of tulle

The small tricorne proved the most difficult to photograph but I got to wear an Erte coat and for this one we started to darken my eye makeup to accent the mood

Great fun was had with the blue felt which was dressed up with a Hermes scarf and an Armani coat. The little blue and yellow flowers in the background just accent the photo but the great thing is that the hat really stands out which obviously was the whole point of the exercise.

The weather started to break at this point but there was just one hat left and we stayed under cover for the steampunk one.

This was an experience not to be missed, very clever styling by Joanna and beautiful photographs which deliver what was wanted. It was incredibly helpful to have input from a third party and be able to stand back and look at the finished product. It is important to do this, it helps you to grow as an artist/designer and also to see how other people interpret your work because it is not always how you envision. Alternative fashion is all about taking risks and playing with the style. Although I mainly focus on Lolita fashion this photo shoot just shows how versatile accessories are and how they can be translated into different fashions.

Hats Hats Hats

I have wanted to learn how to make mini Tricorne hats for a long time and at last it is going to happen.

We have arranged a three day course with Janie Lashford at Janie Lashford’s School of Millinery,Evesham, Worcestershire. I attended her school a few years ago and learnt couture techniques for making fascinators, she is an excellent tutor and is well versed in couture techniques. There are just two pupils, me and my mum and it will be an exciting but tiring few days as there is a lot to learn.

We are making three hats each, first one in felt and these are the bases we bought from Baxter, Hart, Abraham Millinery Supplies.

The second one is in velvet

The third is silk dupion

And then we needed trimmings

Monday morning we leave home at 6am for a prompt start at school at 10 am and by Wednesday evening we should end up with 6 hats which look like this but ours will be sweet Lolita, classic and steampunk inspired Tricornes to bring home.

I will keep you updated with my progress over the next few days on my facebook site http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shinkurose/593986427294641