Here are more pics from the photoshoot I did last month. This post is about the Black and animal print pin-up wiggle dress. Very popular on my website, it is very pin-up, very wearable and a staple piece that should be on your wardrobe if you need something you can dress up or down when the situation requires.
The design does not come with a belt, I added it on for photoshoot.

 

Please, if you want to use the pics, please, request first. Copyright belongs to the photographer, InaGlo Photography.

Fashion photoshoot Spring/Summer 2012: behind the scenes

While I wait for the photographer to finish editing the pics of the shoot. Here are a couple of tasters. I took them with my mobile phone, so they are not great but I still find them interesting. It is always exciting to see the action live, the model on the flesh, the fabric flowing naturally, and all the hard-work that is been put behind that blank canvas you see on pics. I seriously love that chaise-longue....

New item on the website: retro pin-up black&white tailored dress.

This is another dress that was finished just before the photoshoot. It is exquisitely tailored (it is based on a blazer pattern I drafted last month which I am planning to use very very soon ;)
It features a collar and lapel neckline -standard blazer collar- and short puff sleeves, all trimmed with white satin bias. It is very 40s/50s inspired. It is so classy and the fabric is timeless and smart (cotton sateen with a bit of stretch), I think it would be perfect for both day and evening and that gorgeous lapel is screaming for a breath-taking brooch, I'm thinking of a jet-black spider....

More info on my website: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/77/retro_pin_up_black_white_tailored_dress

New items on the website: Black long sleeved lace gown

I can't remember if I mentioned here about the photoshoot I had recently (I definetely did on my facebook page, if you don't follow me, please, do ;)
This is one of the pics of that photoshoot (more pics coming soon) and I designed this gorgeous gown just before the shoot so I wanted it to be included. I think it will be a gorgeous piece for any smart occasions, including weddings. It is sooo darkly elegant, it is sure to be a staple piece in Morticia's black wardrobe. What do you think?

The stunning model is Whiskey Raven and the photographer is the talented Glo Mason from InaGlo Photography. (Links to their facebook pages are on their names).

Click here to see more pics and info on my website: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/76/black_long_sleeved_lace_gown

New items on the website (jewellery) -Part 4

More items have been included in my website. The latest one,

Antiqued brass bumble bee necklace with topaz jewel. 

http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/74/bumble_bee_topaz_necklace

New items on the website (jewellery) -Part 3

Another item added to the website, a bug bracelet. A beetle bracelet! What do you think? I decided to use metallic green czech glass beads, I think is a colour that would work very well with the bronze brass.

http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/71/green_metallic_beetle_bracelet

New items on the website (jewellery) -Part 2

Following my previous post, here are more pictures of another item I've added recently in my website. I know some poeple are obsessed with ancient Egypt or bugs in general, so I reckon this will soon become a favorite. What do you think?

Antiqued scarab beetle necklace

Here is the link: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/72/antiqued_scarab_beetle_necklace

New items on the website (jewellery)

I'm glad to say that I really enjoyed myself at the Alternative and Burlesque fair in Manchester. Definetely attending the next one in May and if you are in the NorthWest, hoping to see you there.
Since last Saturday I have been busy editing the pictures of the new styles I created for the show and posting them on the website. I hope you like them. This is one of them:

Vintage art-deco inspired 1tassel necklace

I love all of these long flapper style necklaces (and I already have some styles on my website) but I wanted to create a style that was slightly simpler and therefore more wearable for everyday. I can see this necklace worn over a romantic black maxi dress or even a plain pencil dress at work. What do you think? Do you wear big bold black jewellery during the day or leave it for when it's dark?

This is the link to my website, for more info: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/73/vintage_art_deco_inspired_1tassel_necklace

New items on my website: Vintage inspired "Le Chat Noir" necklace.

This beautiful Art Nouveau poster has been immortalized in a polymer clay pendant (which I hand-shaped). Held on a floral filigree brass base, it is dangling beautifully from bronze filigrees and jet-black czech stones. Gorgeous necklace. What do you think?
I love black cats.

 Here is the link: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/58/le_chat_noir_necklace

New items on my website: 1930s style scoop neck dress with trumpet skirt.

Remember my black 30s style dress with trumpet skirt? Here is the link, if you can't remember.
Well, I have modified the design slightly by making the neckline scoop neck (instead of square) and in purple!
Isn't it gorgeous? I think I am going to make it in red, too. I love red.

What do you think?
Here is the link for more info: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/57/1930s_style_scoop_neck_dress_with_trumpet_skirt

New items on my website: Crystal rainbow leaf necklace.

Hello, I have been quite busy working on the offline aspects of my little fashion label. (I will be opening a studio very soon, so keep tuned, specially if you leave in Northern England, you will be more than welcome to come for a visit) ;)
I have been updating my Facebook page with the new designs I have been adding on my website and I forgot to include them here. So, if you are not on Facebook, you can see what I have been making and you can tell me what you think.
So this post is going to be about the Crystal rainbow leaf necklace. This necklace features a stunning leaf-shaped crystal pendant that I have adorned with a beautiful floral filigree. Very delicate and so so sparkly! Pictures don't do any justice. I took the pictures without flash so the colours would be shown better. It is quite difficult to photograph such a massive array of colours.

Bermuda blue: a rainbow of tropical colours that range from shades of blues and greens to purples, with slight hints of pink.

Autumn Green: warm autumnal shades of green, pink and reds with hints of blue.

Which one do you think is more beautiful? I am still undecided.
Here is the link: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/51/crystal_rainbow_leaf_necklace

Liverpool Design Show 2011

It has been such a hectic two months that I realized I haven't had the chance to post anything during the whole of September!!! Ouchh!
I have been busy both for personal reasons as well as professional ones.
Firstly, I need to talk about the Liverpool Design Show because is just round the corner, happening this weekend coming!
The Liverpool Design Show is a show taking part in a series of design related events happening in Liverpool city. This show is specifically a trading show, where you can go and buy from designers of all sorts of disciplines: fashion, furniture, decor, jewellery...etc.
I will have my stand as I did last year. It is open to the public (not just trade) and the entry is £5 to get in.

These are some pictures from last year. I had a massive stand and didn't think of purchasing additional lights so it looks VERY gloomy, and before you start thinking: hmmm, can't be that bad?... NO, it is not gloomy-charming as you might be imagining.You can see my massive poster.

This picture below is a panoramic of the room, called St George's Hall. You can see my stand again, big and gloomy. The pic was taken by photographer Matt Ford.

And this is me, holding the glass of white wine as requested....I think it was taken by Matt Ford again.

New items on my website: striped dress

Here is another item I have posted on my website recently: "Ladylike black&white striped pencil dress".
I know stripes get very "in vogue" in the summer and anything that is of a nautical feel but we dark/goth lovers love our fair share of black and white stripes too! specially when combined with red, that's a win-win combo.
I got inspired and I created a polyvore set with this dress. I went for the pin-up theme. What do you think?

Here is the link for more pics: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/47/ladylike_black_white_striped_pencil_dress/a423885d3fb8ac5c7d0e969eba75d356

when in doubt, wear red by THE BLACK WARDROBE featuring louis vuitton shades

New items on my website

I have been updating my website with new items and I haven't posted them here...(what the hell was I thinking?!).
So here is one of them, let me know what you think.;)

I named this dark beauty: Black&animal-print pin-up panelled dress.

It is over the knee, with short puff sleeves, sweetheart neckline and for an extra added glamour, I finished the hemline and slighty pointy sleeves with black satin trims. But the detail I love the most is the hourglass shaped panel in the middle, made of the silkiest jersey I've touched in my life (apart from the ones made of 100% silk, of course). Being so smooth and silky, I lined it so it will not cling on to the body and most importantly, will not collapse trying to hold the weight of the double knit fabric.

This gorgeous animal print comes in two shades:
shades of ivory+chocolate (it sold out, unfortunately, so I cannot offer it anymore), or shades of greys+charcoals+black.
But to be frank, I think I would prefer the grey one, I think it blends more with the black of the dress. What do you think?

Another detail I love of this fabric is the spots, which, I am still not sure whose big cat is meant to depict. Is it a jaguar? a puma? It is definetely not leopard or cheetah.












Here is the link:
http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/

The 3 polen graces...

Following my "insect-inspired" phase I-m going through at the minute....It's spring!, I created more jewellery featuring bugs.
I hope you are going to like the next item, I made it weeks ago, with antique brass chain and I dissmantled and rebuilt with czech glass in metallic hues. The main focus of the necklace is the 3 graces, as I like to call them. They are bees! I made them with black polymer clay and then I dusted them with gold powder to recreate the brass effect of the chain and also I like them to have that distressed look as well, very typical of vintage items, so as you may be able to see, the surface is not sleek but slightly textured. The czech glass are beautiful! Incredibly shiny but being such shiny colours it is always tricky to capture them by camera, so the best picture that shows them came out blurred. Sorry...
What do you think?
Oh by the way, I re-opened my etsy shop (I'll still have my website, though). In the next following weeks I'll try to populate it with my polymer clay jewellery as well as the romantic brass stuff I make.
Do you usually buy stuff on Etsy? I haven't bought anything yet...
Here is the link: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/product.php/32/vintage_inspired_3_bees_necklace

New items! "Bee brooches"

Hello! I have posted lots of new items on my website (and more are coming soon as soon as I finish them and take the photos) so I will be posting them on the blog in the following weeks.
First, I want to start with my bee-shaped jewellery, specially after my post about insects. My beautiful spiders have always been very popular so I always intended to grow my insect range to more beautiful insects such as beetles, ladybirds, and bees! I soon want to start to make beetles as well... I just need to find those glorious metallic powders I have in my mind....

My beautiful bees are made in the same way as muy spiders, from scratch, without the hlep of moulds. I shape the polymer clay and before it gets fired, I embellish it with rhinestones, laces, powders..etc. These bees have taken more work to do than the spiders as I have space out the different layers of embellishment. The lacey wings have been applied in a second round of firing, so have the stripes and my varnish always goes through a round of fire in order to enhance its gloss.
There are some few more pics on my website, let me know what you think. Which one do you like the best, by the way?
So far, people have loved the plain black and gold (4th on the pic). I love the one completely covered in rhinestones. I just can't resist bling...specially against a black background!
http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/Shop/section.php/8/1/brooches

New spiders!

My spider-brooches were the stars of the show. Every single one I did, it sold. I have expanded my colour scheme (you'll be glad to hear) and I am hoping to experiment with more colorful schemes as well as keep improving my techniques, so watch this space...
You can find more pictures on my website: http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/category/accessories

Fashion Catwalk.mp4

I took the chance to film the mini-catwalk of my clothes. The quality is not very good, I am afraid. I think the other video is better, which I-ll post soon.

New clothing items!

Because of The Lpool Design show, I haven't had the time to update the blog with my new items, some of them finished just before the show. I will be posting them in the next following days. I hope you like them.

The first item is a over knee-length dress, with puffed long sleeves. Heavily inspired by the 1940s starlets such as Veronica Lake, this figure-hugging little dark number features a draped neckline and a pencil skirt with an interesting drape on the hip. It is made of two different shades of black crepe-like jersey to add more interest to the garment.




















The second item is another over knee-length dress, with puffed long sleeves. Very 1950s style, I designed this dress thinking of those funny pics of Marilyn Monroe with her do-I-look-smart? glasses and secretary style dresses. It features a square neckline trimmed in velvet with a bow on the side. The skirt is fitted with a slight godet, giving it a sleek A-line shaped, which I think fits better and looks less ridiculous than those very pronounced fish-tail skirts.

Click on the links to see more pics of my dresses.
http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/1940s-style-draped-dress-48
http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/1950s-inspired-tailored-dress-with-velvet-trims-49

New items!, "black rose tote bag"

Yet another new item I have added to my website.

This beautiful dark beauty is made of canvas like the earlier tote bag and it has this black rose bouquet that I hand-drawn. The difference from the earlier one is that this tote is flat, it doesn't have depth and the bouquet is not so "full". Although you can still perfectly fit a magazine of DIN-A4 size book or publication inside it.
It features a black and white polka dot fabric panel at the bottom and the handles are made of the same fabric.
The interior is a minuscule tiny polka-dot fabric in black and white as well, with a slight contrasting zip in biscuit/cream colour. It also fastens with a very strong magnetic fast.
At only £25 is a real bargain.
Let me know what you think.

Here is the link for more pictures:

http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/black-rose-tote-bag-42