The Little Dictionary of Fashion: N is for...

N is for Net, Nylon and Nonsense in The Little Dictionary of Fashion by Christian Dior. 

It seems Net is an ideal material for romantic evening dresses and needs to be used in large quantities. Nylon on the other hand is less suitable for dresses, except for beach and sport clothes. 

Nonsense is quite humourous...apparently "too many women forget that even the most extreme fashion must be sensible in a way". I wonder what Dior would make of recent fashion weeks with this viewpoint as he states he 

"dislikes trick fashions - designed only for publicitiy's sake. They may be eye-catching but they are never elegant"

I'm inclined to agree with him! 😊



It's that time of year again...

To all of our fashion students....

Its that time of year again where assignments are finished, prep for final shows has started, summer is calling and its time for the next chapter to begin...whether moving up in years or onward to a new adventure.

Remember to take a moment to appreciate all you have achieved, and take a deep breath as you move forward with your next step. 

Everything is going to be fine ðŸ˜Š



Maker Monday: Sanctuary: A Covid Memorial by David Best

Something a little different for todays Maker Monday...

At the weekend I visited the Sanctuary art installation by David Best. 

This wooden 'temple' sits atop a hill in the Bedworth Miners Welfare Park and has been created to commemorate those lost during the Covid pandemic. It offers members of the public the opportunity to leave messages and memories of those no longer with us until next Saturday (28th May) when it will be set alight in a moment of 'remembrance and release'. 

I understand the pieces have been laser cut and assembled on site in collaboration with the local community. There are multiple layers of cut outs and the excess bits of wood used to pack or decorate other areas. 

Its a stunning structure, and although i understand the reason for it being destroyed, as a creative, the idea of such beauty being set alight does pain me a bit. However, i highly recommend if you're in the Bedworth area and would like to leave a message, do visit in the next few days to become part and experience this wonderful piece. 

For more information head over to their website: Sanctuary - An Extraordinary artwork by David Best (sanctuary-event.com)

@artichoketrust #Sanctuary2022




Intro to Sewing: The Final Makes

Intro to Sewing: The Morning

Its been a very busy sewing Saturday so far at MAC Birmingham. 

Lots of seam, hem and dart samples, and learning the basics of using a sewing machine. 

Now on to final makes - check back later for the finished products!

Intro to Sewing: Let's Begin!

All set up and ready to go!

Let the sewing Saturday commence :)



V&A In Conversation with... Jeremy Scott

About last night...

I thoroughly enjoyed Alexander Fury and Jeremy Scott's talk at the Victoria and Albert Museum. 

I loved to comment about 'championing the individual designer' and absorbing from diverse creatives. I think its vital to be open to all influences and to appreciate the work of others. 

Fashion students of mine...take note! ;)

Its also great that despite being over 100 miles away, i can still join in with these amazing events!

Maker Monday: Me Made May Edition

 Todays outfit featured a me made coat made from commercial pattern Burda Style 6727 made from wool fabric remnants. 

I changed the pattern slightly to include additional contrast panels as i was running low on some fabrics. 

Its nice and light, and would also make a good coatigan shape with the right fabric. 




A Great Day at The Sewing Cafe!

I had such a fab day teaching my Pattern Alterations - Bust Adjustment class at The Sewing Cafe in Hinckley. 

The class focuses on bust adjustments and dart manipulation; two of the most commonly used processes when altering a commercial pattern. 

I use lots of small scale diagrams to talk through the processes and replicate examples so they can be understood and repeated in full scale. We also had time to talk about the intricacies of moving darts and the possibilities of what could be achieved...after the tea and amazing homemade cakes from the Cosy Cafe!

Big thanks to Natalie and Laura for coming - I look forward to see you again soon!

If you're interested in learning about pattern drafting, alterations or fittings, send me an email to studio@sianriley.co.uk to register your interest for future classes. 

Return to The Sewing Cafe in Hinckley

Me Made May 2022: Todays Outfit

Coming Tomorrow: Pattern Alteration - Bust Adjustments Class!

Looking forward to returning The Sewing Cafe tomorrow for my Pattern Alterations - Bust Adjustment workshop. 

There's a few places still available so if you want to learn all the details of how to adjust commercial patterns, take a look at my courses page or the workshop page on The Sewing Cafe's website. 

TBT: Kitchen Cafe in Daventry

I visited a wonderful cafe recently called Kitchen in Daventry. 

I really loved the quirky-ness of the interior (the upside down chair is very Alice in Wonderland) and the chicken curry wrap was divine!

Highly recommend!

You can follow them over on Facebook

Maker Monday: The MET Gala - The First Monday in May

 Its that time of year again...

The First Monday in May means its MET Gala day!

In what could be considered as one of the biggest days in the fashion calendar, the MET Gala is a fundraising gala to raise funds for the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Over the years it has explored a number of themes that celebrities, icons and designers all try and fill with their outfit of choice. 

This years exhibition is part 2 of a two-part exhibition. In part 1, 'In America: A lexicon of Fashion' shown last year showcased 80 years of American style through key clothing pieces from iconic brands and designers. 

This year exhibition title is called 'An Anthology of Fashion' and has translated this as the theme 'Gilded Glamour'; asking attendees to embody and represent the style and excess of Gilded Age New York. 

The 'show' or entrance will begin at 6pm American Eastern Time; roughly 11pm UK time and can be live streamed on the Vogue website

Before we devour this years looks on social media tomorrow, lets take a look at some of the key looks from years past as the ultimate Maker Monday treat...

Rihanna wearing Guo Pei in 2015 (Source: Vanity Fair - Timothy A. Clary)

Rihanna wore this amazing couture creation hand embroidered by local artisans; it took 6,000 hours to create and weighted 25kg. 

Lady Gaga wearing Brandon Maxwell in 2019 (Source: Getty Images via Elle.com)

What began as an shocking pink, voluminous gown evolved through 4 outfit changes in the space of the red carpet. 

Kim Kardashian in Thierry Mugler in 2019 (Source: Vanity Fair - Dia Dipasupil)

Labelled the 'Wet Dress', it took eight months to make and was one of the first garments Thierry Mugler had made for his brand in over 20 years. The dress was considered controversial due to Kardashian's extremely cinched in waist, which due to her personal trainer was a result of training 6 days a week and a bespoke made corset from Mr Pearl. 

Katy Perry in Maison Margiela in 2017 (Source: Vanity Fair - Theo Wargo)

As co-chair of the event in 2017, Perry chose this red bridal look from Margiela's Spring/ Summer 2017 Artisanal collection. Taking 350 hours to create and an additional 7 days on the embroidery alone, it definitely fitted in with the other avant-garde looks of that year. 

Emma Watson in Calvin Klein in 2016 (Source: Getty Images via Elle.com)

The gown is actually a top and trousers, and is made entirely from recycled plastic. A collaboration between Calvin Klein and Eco Age, each element of the outfit was considered with sustainability as the key component. The zips were made from recyclable materials, and the fabrics used were organic and environmentally friendly. 

Celine Dion in Oscar De la Renta in 2019 (Source: Vanity Fair - Dia Dipasupil)

Inspired by the dazzling outfits of the Ziegfried Follies, the outfit featured lengths of fringing and beads and weighed 22 pounds. 

Cardi B in Thom Browne in 2019 (Source: Getty Images via Elle.com)

Made from silk organza and tulle, the expanding circles for the train were filled with duck down and extended ten feet behind her! Its decorated with 30,000 feathers and took a team of 35 people over 2,000 hours to create. Definitely one way to make an entrance!

If you would like to see more from the MET Gala and how it evolves, why not watch the documentary 'The First Monday in May' (Directed by Andrew Rossi). Released in 2016, it follows the creation of the the 'China: Through the Looking Glass' exhibition, curated by Andrew Bolton who was the mastermind behind McQueen's Savage Beauty exhibition. 
You can watch the documentary on Prime Video or Netflix