Bespoke Textiles

An insight into both personal and commissioned work

Hand Embroidered Bridal Garment

This has to be my favourite type of commission - an initial brief with imagery and then ultimate freedom to come up with something beautiful. Combining my three loves, Illustration, Screen Print and Embroidery.

I started by draping a pattern to sit on top of and within the original dress. Then with the flat pattern, drawing a custom illustration to fit the shape of the garment on the front and the back. Then screen printing the design to create an image on its own and a blueprint for the embroidery. The Embroidery was carefully placed to accommodate for the fall and gather of the top without effecting the properties of the silk chiffon. The garment was sewn in the trusted hands of Gemma Hinchey and then hand stitched in place by myself on the day. The silk chiffon top is designed to hook inside the ribbon of the skirt and tack onto the silk slip, making it removable during the event.

Silk Dress and Skirt by A La Robe and stunning photographs by Victoria Vincent at A Beautiful Photo.

Floral image from the bride for inspiration, gotta love Magnolias, timeless beauty.

Embroidered sheer reference from the Bride, but with much less embroidery coverage on the final garment.

The combo - the silk chiffon top is designed to hook inside the ribbon of the skirt and tack onto the silk slip, making it removable during the event.

The custom illustration to fit within the garment pattern piece. Designed to be mirrored with the front and the back being different designs.

Screen printing on silk chiffon is always a bit tricky, luckily I had a bit of prior experience up my sleeve - Aka learning from a past failure.  This print used Four different screens to produce as the direction of the designs are all differen

Picking colours, another favourite aspect of any job.

Moving as fast as my fingers will let me to complete the embroidery within the timeline and to my personal standard.

'Beastly' Graduate Collection

This was my final year graduate collection from my degree in Textiles from Massey University in 2014. Derived from researching the line or transition that separates man from animal. Exploring the features we associate with beasts to create various textile designs using a variety of textile processes. This allowed me to further develop my skills in Screen printing, Illustration, Natural Indigo Dye, Digital Design, Hand Embroidery and Garment Design.

This project received the Booker-Spalding Textile Design for Fashion Award for 2014.

'Baobab' Screen Printed Length

Inspired by the Baobab cafe based in Newtown in Wellington. The length was composed of various illustrations drawn whilst sitting in the space. Transferring them into a two colour print to be screen printed by hand on a length of fabric. This collection received the ES Design award for 2013.