Taggery-Pokery

Things seem to be getting a bit viral round here these days. The lovely Christine has seen fit to tag me in a questionsaire thingy. And what's good enough for Christine......

These are the rules:

1. Answer the questions, but replace one question with a question of your own; and also, add a question of your own. (I decided to delete a feww and add two new ones).

2. Tag eight other un-tagged people. (I've reinterpretted this as one).

Add the most recent picture you took to the top of this post.

What is your current obsession? Bicing (the city communal bicycle system)

What are you wearing right now? Faded black skinny jeans, misshapen stripey top and cosy baggy grey cardi, it's a midweek look, nothing worth writing home about.

Do you nap a lot? I live in Spain, it's pretty compulsory here, although I've always been a fan due to my inability to sleep properly most nights.

What's for dinner? We just came back from our language exchange/dinner. We had vegetable soup and amazing chicken and date things on skewers.

What are you listening to right now? Portishead, a live version of Dummy.

What is your favourite weather? Spring weather like today, warm and sunny with clear blue skies, it feels so optimistic after the grey winter. Also conditions that make for great sunsets.

What's on your beside table? Handcream, tissues, alarm clock and book. Exciting times.

Say something to the person/s who tagged you. Hi Christine! I think you should be subsidised so all you have to do all day is make beautiful clothes and photos that provide inspiration for the rest of us.

If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world, where would you want it to be? Here in Barcelona so that me and my boy are secure and won't have to spend so much time worrying about paying the rent!

Favourite vacation spot? Jeez, that's so tricky. I find San Francisco very inspirational, but am hoping to visit NY and Mexico within the next couple of years.

Name the things you can't live without. I've learnt that I'm able to live without an awful lot, but that life is much better when I have certain luxuries around, like my sewing machine and wine. So only really the ability to speak to my friends and family, ideally in the flesh.

What would you like to have in your hands right now? Some new Built By You patterns.

What is the last movie you watched? Waltz With Bashir. Pretty high-brow, but I can't pretend I understood it all.

Name three movies that deeply impressed you and that you still think about. Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Zeitgeist: Addendum, and U-Turn.

How do you spend your time on public transport? On the metro I read a book, when using bicing I focus on trying not to get killed.

If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go? My folks sofa to be with them and drink wine, chat, and eat Cadbury's Dairy Milk.

What do you wish to accomplish 5 years from now? To be making at least part of my income from sewing, be living in a warehouse that we have converted ourselves, to be growing most of our own fruit and veg, and be shit-hot at speaking Spanish! Oh, and have an extensive wardrobe full of envy-inducing self made clothes!

Put a picture here of your current hometown/city:

I tag Occasional Martha. If you don't fancy it lady, fair enough, no pressure!

'Chain, chain, chain, chain of blogs'

Well I'm feeling pretty spesh right now. This state is particularly pleasant considering the arse couple of weeks that have recently passed. A quick run down: losing a load of work with no warning and reaching new levels of skint that I previously only could imagine I was capable of, plus dealing with the subsequent accompanying fear whilst new work was being procured. THEN getting evicted after less than four weeks in our flat, and losing our subtantial deposit through no fault of our own. Fear not, good times will soon be upon us once the latest escape is complete. Then I can get back to contemplating and creating, and filling this blogs raison d'etre.

So I was super grateful to receive the above award from the lovely Occasional Martha. My interpretation is that it's an award for 'Services to Blogland'. Well, she wrote a summary about this blog that was so nice it made me all warm inside. I have decided to celebrate with something else that makes me warm inside:

I've discovered a pretty tasty red Vermouth (renamed Nan-juice by me, as the flavour reminds me of my nan, which is strange because Gin was her poison) from the 'budget' supermarket chain Dia for a mere €1.75! Skintness is the mother of discovery, but I warn you, the hangovers are particularly vicious. That is the nature of this beast, what you save in cash, you lose in vitality the next day.

Well, the rule of receiving this award is that I must pass on the honour, so here are my ten choices, in no particular order:

1, Michelle, my girl from London, has a beautifully perfect blog called Naughty Little Peacock. Her style and creations are fantastical, magical and eclectically influenced.

2, I've been checking out Cheap Opulence for an eon. The content never fails to amuse or fascinate me and somehow every image she includes I find hugely inspirational.

3, I came by Sweet Sassafras through Wardrobe Refashion, when she posted about her self made vintage inspired wedding dress. Her creations and blog are a window to beautiful pre-WW2 stylings. Her new sewing patterns project is a very exciting development that I'm following with baited breath.

4, For some time Christine was a mythical creature who existed on Burdastyle displaying her amazingly perfect garment creations through amazingly perfect photography. Well, guess what? She's real, lives in London, and knows my mate Michelle in one of those 'it's a small world' type ways!

5, I have to include Wardrobe Refashion, because my discovery and involvement in this blog/pledge has genuinely changed my life and way of thinking about fashion, and consumption in general for that matter.

6, For Me, For You provides me with a regular reminder that there's more out there in the world from which to draw inspiration than merely clothes alone. The author acts as a filter for beautiful and interesting things that saves the rest of us a lot of time!

7, In a similar vein to Wardrobe Refashion, Sew Retro is a community blog, rather than a single author affair. I'm not actually a member, but have been visiting the site for doses of vintage pattern/fabric/garment pornography for a number of years.

8, I know this is a Sisterhood award, but I need to make an exception. I also must admit to a sizable obession with the comedian and writer Dave Gorman. I have been lucky enough to see him in the flesh a couple of times (at radio/TV recordings and book readings, if I'm a stalker, then I'm a legit one!), I even spotted him wandering around the east London market where I used to have a stall once. Anyway, his blog is interesting and witty, and at times laugh-out-loud-til-you're-crying funny.

9, A Dress A Day has kept me entertained whilst I blatantly should have been working on more occassions than I care to admit. I love the way Erin fully indulges and celebrates her dress sewing obsession. Her posts are so diverse and perfectly crafted, I am amazed she has any free time left for sewing at all. Plus, she is side-splittingly funny.

10, I have no recollection of how I discovered Yard Sale Bloodbath. However, it indulges my predisposition to nose into other peoples unwanted belongings, which goes some way to patching up the massive charity-shop-and-bootsale-shaped gap left in my life after moving away from the UK. It's a bit like looking into a parallel universe, as I'm sure I'd spend my weekends in a very similar fashion if I lived in the USA.

Thanks again Martha!

Creation House-Keeping

Time for a little house-keeping. Seeing as my sewing equipment has arrived and I have already been sewing up a storm, I thought I'd get up to date by presenting for your viewing pleasure some garms that I made earlier.

First up, the above pictures are of a blouse I made last year from the JJ Burdastyle pattern. I have loved pretty much EVERY version of this pattern I have seen on Burdastyle, and produced my own from a tablecloth bought from a charity shop in Leigh for a mere £1! My mum helped fit the blouse better, and I'm lazy so I 'reinterpreted' the sleeve band/button fastening into a less time consuming cheeky elastic casing affair. The buttons are super-cute little flowers. As I recall, it was my ex who suggested stitching them on with yellow thread to look like the centre of the flowers. I remember laughing my arse off that he had conjured up an opinion about sewing. After I finished laughing I realised it was a very good idea and quietly got on with it. Anyway, it's a pretty spring-like creation so I'm sure it'll be getting a lot more wear in the coming months.

Next up are two dresses that were whipped up from the same pattern from the November Burda World of Fashion magazine (AKA: BWOF, FYI!). These were created whilst I was back in UK for christmas. I had been so starved of sewing that I was virtually panting whilst making them.

The 'day' version is made from a dark grey wool blend, and the 'evening' version from a stretch dark blue/grey satin. These creations serve to remind me how different the results of patterns can look simply by altering the fabric. Which is why I've learnt not to judge the illustrations on manaufactured patterns, or the photographs in BWOF, and to go straight to the technical drawing so as not to cloud any potential that may be hidden under hideous fabric choices!

Anyways, the satin version got it's debut on NYE. The only photographic evidence is from the end of the evening, I'm clearly exhausted from all dress-based compliments I'd received. Really.

Ok, that's a bit of backlog dealt with, new garms are coming, watch this space......(well, the space directly above this post).

Who knew I could create ANOTHER post based on these sites again?

There has been months of waiting, planning and preparation. Awaiting the new arrival so that the future can begin. The inevitable next stage that has been waiting in the wings. The last part has been the most uncomfortable, for sure. ‘Get on with it!’ I’ve wanted to scream. Well, not long now, next week it’s due....

MY SEWING STUFF!!!!!!!!!!! I can start the process of realisation of all my plans from the last seven and a half months. Umm, well, the plans that actually involve sewing anyway. Spring, the season of new beginnings, coincidentally is also just around the corner (I’m not going to claim an involvement , spring usually rocks on up around this time). So I’ve been checking out what my inspirators have prepared for the coming season. Check this cheekily wearable dress by Built By Wendy:

I know what your thinking: 'Nice, though something feels familiar'. Correct, well done. The top part is JUST LIKE the Anda dress pattern available on Burdastyle. You may or not, depending on whether or not you have seen me in the flesh over the last two summers, remember my African fabric interpretation:

The Built By Wendy discovery has encouraged me to revisit this pattern. I'd say the main fault with my last Anda attempt was that my gathering was neither particularly empire line (under the bust), like this fantastic interpretation:

or particularly waist line, like this beauty:

This purple version also shows how well this pattern translates into stretch fabric. Hmm..... 'Why the hell are you worried about elastic/gathering placement, Zo?', I hear you saying now, 'Haven't you seen the Burdastyle member Spasmodic's creation?'. My, you're mouthy today! But you've got a point:

Well, aside from the tasty assymetric front pleats and a self-belt, what else does Built By Wendy have to bring to the table in terms of Anda-esque design variations? POCKETS! That's what.

Fashion Tradeshows: A Brief History

A couple of weeks ago I was in the privileged position to be the holder of a press pass at the Bread & Butter fashion tradeshow here in bcn. See that beautiful view in the picture above? That is the view from the press lounge. I managed to find a brief second between scoffing free sandwiches and cava to take the shot. Tough times!

Now, this wasn’t the first fashion tradeshow I have attended. Previously I have attended some in Paris and London, but not for a number of years, and certainly not with the amount of access that the press pass, company cards and my nearly-thirty-years-old increased confidence gave me. In fact, the last clothing tradeshow I attended was actually through being part of the catering, from which I was able to ditch my BBQ company uniform, and stalk the stalls with my mate pretending to be buyers! What I was attempting, aside from eating as many free sweets from the stands as possible and generally having a nose around, was to get lots of contact info from which to apply for jobs. This, in hindsight, was actually pretty stupid, as I wanted to work in production, and the people there were from sales departments. But anyway.

This time I wasn’t after a job. I have a job now. I was at Bread & Butter to report on up and coming brands and to take photos of the freshest products. I got my work done, then got to have a good look around, even, between you and me, using my company cards to secure a few extra interviews for my own ends (eg, see the previous post). The tradeshows I went to in the past were before I actually properly worked in the clothing industry, and had knowledge of what it was like from the inside. I remember walking around, having ditched the catering uniform, aching to be part of these brands. It is so nice to be able to say that I no longer want to be part of any of them. The role I desire is on the outside, using the industry for inspiration and ammunition in equal measure.

The future of bags! Who knew?! (working title)

If you got a sec or two, check out this article I wrote that I'm hoping will be published. It's an attempt to make some money from my obsession with sustainable fashion:

Sadly, for many years, the phrases ‘recycled materials’, and ‘deeply desirable accessory’ had rarely been comfortable conceptual bed-fellows. Arguably, most accessories, in particular bags, developed from recycled raw materials tended to have achieved an emphasis on ethics, with aesthetics taking a back foot. It seems times are a’ changing. A new generation of bags and accessories are available, and rapidly growing in popularity and desirability that are so damn good, that many consumers are even snapping them up based on looks and functionality alone, unawares of their do-goodly ways! So what is it about their concept and products that seem so relevant and why are they currently being embraced with such fervour?

The irony is that, within two very prominent European players at least, the solution to this previous apparent anathema of appealing design versus ethical sourcing was actually solved outside of the fashion industry within which they now enjoy well-earned success.

Fifteen years ago Swiss brothers Markus and Daniel Freitag, both graphic designers, struggling to find a durable, water resistant and cycling proof bag in which to carry their work, took matters into their own hands. The resulting creation was a messenger bag fashioned from an old truck tarp, seat belts for straps and used a spare bicycle inner tube to keep the edges from fraying. Unintentionally landing a hit, this basic formula has proved the basis for most of their subsequent forty plus products that are now sold globally.

In a similar vein, eight years ago a group consisting of two graphic designers and two industrial designers started the brand Vaho Works in Barcelona, Spain, utilising the ubiquitous PVC advertising banners that line the streets in this city and it’s metropolitan area (and later from Madrid and Seville). Often beautiful and vibrant advertising banners for music, sporting and cultural events and art exhibitions are given a second life, through securing relations with institutions, museums, municipalities and private companies. They have also developed another range of messenger bags reusing old tires. They currently have two stores in Barcelona and one in Osaka, and sell through many other retailers.

Vaho Works and Freitag have inspired a proliferation of copies, some of which sadly adopt only the design aesthetic and not the reuse of otherwise landfill-bound materials. One positive message that can be drawn from this is: if these ethical products are worth copying, it is because their success and relevance is on the rise. Cynics could argue that products produced from reused material is merely a trend, and that their success, as opposed to previous attempts, is due to the fact that finally some people have come up with appealing and wearable designs. But the facts that the ages of these companies are now into or nearing double figures, and that their sales continue to grow, show that this is not a flash-in-the-pan trend that appeals solely to a design clique.

Matters of depleting global resources, unsustainable levels of rubbish dumping into land and sea as well as irrevocable environmental damage and pollution created by production are not issues that are going away. They will continue to be at the forefront of much social and political discourse from here on in. Increasingly the world is waking up to the fact that such problems need to be addressed on many levels, from the actions of global corporations, government and inter-governmental policies at the top of the food chain, to the everyday choices made by all citizens of the globe. To put it bluntly, is these companies are merely cashing in on a trend, then maybe buying shares in these companies wouldn’t be such a crazy idea!

So who are these products appealing to, and in conjunction, what of their future? Freitag and Vaho Works, though similar in concept, do not represent significant threats to one another. For one thing, their price points are very different. Also the comparatively subtler and more mature products of Freitag contrast somewhat with the bright youth-friendly ‘Trashion’ from Vaho Work’s factory. Interestingly, both ranges include items specifically aimed at either men or women, but the majority of styles are relatively androgynous. I recently heard of a gentleman, through a Freitag-fan friend of mine, that bought a Freitag bag some ten years ago, and due to it’s durability is still sporting it around town. Until my friend began to open a discussion on the company, he had been completely unaware of Freitag’s ethical background and his subsequent involvement in such affairs. So these items do not only appeal to the ethically minded, although, for reasons previously noted, this group is set to grow in number.

So with consumer profiles ever expanding, the companies themselves must do so. A whole fifteen years after the initial messenger bag, Freitag’s range now includes laptop holders, luggage and footballs. Vaho Works’ includes mobile phone holders, wallets and seating. Both companies spheres’ of influence are on the rise, from collaborating with different creative disciplines to involvement in further community based recycling projects. Both companies also encourage consumer participation in the designing of items. Inevitably, the number of such companies and brands will grow. This will reflect the growing uses of existing recyclable materials, as well as an increase in the number of materials able to be reused, and the altered manufacturing methods that maybe needed to rework these materials. Exciting and innovative times lay ahead for the fashion industry and others, all we need to do is have another look around us.

I've Contracted Comsumption

My total consumption of new garments in 2008 equals the following:

One pair of Lee jeans from Urban Outfitters in the sale (I actually put a lower priced sale sticker on the tag that I peeled off from another sale garment, not expecting to get away with it, BUT TOTALLY DID)

One pair of skinny ‘investment’ jeans from Zara

One stripey ¾ length sleeve top bought predominantly for its layering properties from Zara

Plus one kind of cheat where I facilitated the purchasing of a new garment for me as a birthday gift, resulting in one cute-as-a-button coat from Bershka via Lee and Isi.

Now in my opinion gifts are a bit of a grey area in the rules of my Wardrobe Refashion pledge, but even if the coat does have to be counted, I still came in within my allotted ‘new garment’ allowance. Another loophole in the pledge is the allowing new socks and underwear purchases, which starved of normal garment consumption, has for me taken on something of a guilty pleasure, resulting in the acquisition of more socks and pants than I’d like to admit.

Now, whilst the three new garment purchases I made last year were not manufactured in China, the coat and many of the pants were. One day I will go into my personally boycotting of Chinese goods as I fear I will lose your attention if I go into this here. But, even though the particular garments were not manufactured in China, Zara (I cannot comment on Lee without research that I am too lazy to undertake) does produce some of its garments China. Is that ok? Am I still condoning manufacture in China? I’m confused! Too many grey areas! These are my rules that I have chosen to implement, but they are opening up so many sub-questions. What are my exact standpoints on these? I am at risk of breaking my brain trying to figure them out.

So I have decided: Enough! I have embraced 2009 as the year in which I purchase NO NEW GARMS! Even pants and socks.

I have been trying to implement this more responsible approach into other sections of my life. My aim was to rely on street finds to furnish my new bedroom for example. But the street failed to provide me with certain items, and I was fed up with hunting through plastic bin bags to access my clothes, so I reluctantly accepted that I needed a trip to Ikea. So what do I go and do? I take my Christmas money and immediately go and purchase a clothing ‘storage system’ that turned out to be made in China! AGHHHHH! (See above image for proof of guilt.)