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.

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

Mirror, mirror on the wall.....It's Katy Perry!

I am sure that today being the 22nd of Dec, some of you might still be doing the Christmas shopping. I'll bet my money...hehe.
Anyway, I have a short but very precise! gift list to Santa or "Reyes Magos" (any Spaniards/latinos across the Atlantic, will recognize the latter ;)
I need a hair-dryer. My hair is curly so I like straightening it, and mine, being old, doesn't have as much power as it used to and it gets warm very quickly which means that the temperature will dropto keep the motor cool. Any tips?
I came across this gorgeous Dark, Art-Deco ad campaign from GHD and I was surprised to find who was in it. Although, I have to say, the snowhite look suits her very well.
Have you ever owned/used GHD products? Are they good?

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: 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

One for the Dita's fans

Sorry for the lack of posting, time flyes and I don't notice. If I carry on like this I might wake up one day with grey hair!! Anyway, nothing has caught my attention so far...apart from the winter collections (love 'em!) and the nazi/Galliano rant, which I am still shocked about...
I came across this article about Dita's home which I thought you might be interested in. It was in an american issue of InStyle magazine. I-ve picked the most stunning pics, if you want to see more and even zoom in! to read the articles (it includes personal cooking recipes as well as tips to shop for vintage at flea markets), please check it on its original format: TheSwingFashionista blog.

http://www.swingfashionista.com/2011/01/dita-von-teese-at-home-in-instyle-magazine-february-2011/

Gothic+Vintage millinery

Happy new year and happy new decade! Sorry I haven't been posted, quite busy during christmas and still in the process of working out what I will be making for the next season. But before I spill anything I thought it would be nice to keep you posted with anything dark/vintage related that catches my attention.
I came through this artist via the AnotherMag newsletter. As soon as I read the fist lines of the article, I fell in love with her. She's a milliner (and artist/designer in other disciplines too) who is obssessed with Vintage and the Dark and! she is friends with an icon of this blog, Dita VT.
Here is the article:

At 5ft 6in in dainty heels, vintage furs, a vivid smudge of red lipstick across her alabaster complexion and hair upswept into a silk scarf; Stephen Jones’ head of atelier, Adele Mildred is a vision that harks back to a more glamorous era. “I’m obsessed with vintage films and glamour so I try to live it,” agrees Mildred over tea in the appropriately genteel surroundings of the Covent Garden Hotel, “I like the silent films from the 1920s and 1940s. I think everything started going downhill in the '60s — those damn miniskirts and go-go boots! I feel people don’t dress as carefully as they should be and I make sure I set time aside.”

She started as a fashion designer and then branched out to do paintings, costumes and then millinery by incorporotaing herself into Stephen Jones' team. Needless to say, her work is darkly beautiful. Very similar to the very dark stuff that McQueen did in his very early collections.

www.adelemildred.com

Fashion catwalk (better image)

As I promised, this is the video (with slightly better image and more close-ups) of my mini-catwalk at the Liverpool Design Show. Hope you find it better.

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

Lady in Red (Me) in a 1950s themed wedding

Last weekend, my boyfriend and I were invited to a wedding in Morecambe. It took place in a gorgeous Art Deco hotel called "The Midland".
As usual, in weddings, I wasn't sure what to wear, as you don't want to out-stage anyone, even the dogs, specially in wedding where you don't know anyone and you are not a relative (the groom was an old friend of my bf).

I just finished a couple of designs that I will soon upload to the website.
One of them is the one I am wearing in the pics below. It is a red maxidress in silky vibrant red viscose jersey. I wanted to go for a 1940s inspired look, with a bit of Valentino glamour flair as well, so I teamed this gorgeous red maxi with black satin accents and a crystal silver necklace that I made (coming soon to the website).
It turned out to be very appropiate as the wedding was vintage themed (1950s, as you can tell by the ice-cream van and the bride's gorgeous dress, adorned with organza roses. It was made in the USA).

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

New items!, "Polka-dot black rose tote bag"

More new items I have added to my website. (More bags!)

This romantic dark piece is made of strong cotton canvas fabric, in a natural colour. Its main feature is a beautiful bouquet of black roses that I hand-drawn myself onto the fabric. The touch of black lace and the black fabric with tiny red dots intensify its gothic flair.
The inside is fully lined in black poly-cotton fabric, with a big open pocket to keep your mobile/i-pod/keys within easy reach. (There is nothing I hate more than spending more than two minutes "exploring" the bottom of my bag trying to find what I am after...Some people have described my bags as "Mary Poppins' bags" because of the amount of sh#t and unthinkable things I came across while looking for something. Examples? a lighter (I don't smoke), a knife (I used to fix the micro-tiny screw of my glasses), euros (I only use them when I go home, to the continent or even worse! plane tickets from last time I went home....half a year ago!) chocolates or chewies that had expired quite a while ago...newspapers that are a week old...

I think I need help. I keep complaining but it keeps happening....

Anyway, here is the link if you want to see more pics of this gorgeous gothic inspired tote bag. It is only £28!

http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/polka-dot-black-rose-tote-bag-41

New items!, "Vintage style framed bag with flower print"

I am thrilled to announce that I have new items on my website. All of them are accessories, bags!, which are really my obsession, well above shoes. So I decided what better items to expand my accessories range than with my favourite items. Hope you like them.

My first item is an elegant and classy vintage style framed bag in a medium size. I have always loved this type of bags, they can hold more than what you might expect! Specially if they are not stiff.

This fabric print features a big floral print in deep red and dark green. I think they are poppies but I am not quite sure.

Sturdy glossy metallic frame with big snap lock in deep red. (Very easy to open and not painful!)

This beauty is handmade by me. It is for sale on my site for £34 (shipping costs are free in UK). Let me know what you think. I am so in love with it.

http://www.theblackwardrobe.com/product/vintage-style-red-flowery-framed-handbag-40

Dior couture summer 2010 catwalk

Spring/summer is just round the corner and so are the new catwalks!
I already have my favs, which I will keep posting on my blog. The first one is, of course, DIOR!
Very 50s inspired, 40s silouettes with a very strong equestrian/baroque theme going on. I specially love the looks with the red jackets. They have a victorian vibe that I love.
The hair is a voluminous up-do, styled in a way which is a sort of a mix between 60s beehives and edwardian high chignons (think of Gibson girl).
I just love it!
Here is a link to watch the video:
http://www.msplinks.com/MDFodHRwOi8vd3d3LnlvdXR1YmUuY29tL3dhdGNoP3Y9OWNjdVBtU0dQNEk=

Red sequined gown

I don't usually publish pics of dresses or any kind of private commissions I take. I don't know why, maybe because they are exclusive items I made under someone's request so I though it would be innapropiate to talk about it or maybe they wouldn't like to be posted on the blog. No clue, I never asked really if they would mind. Anyway, I have just posted some pics on my facebook and I though it would be nice to show the last dress I made. I am so proud of it, is just gorgeous. It is a very sexy "Jessica Rabbit" like gown, all made of red sequined fabric, strapless, sweetheart bust shaped dress with boning and cups (to keep everything on place). The cut is fitted until the knee and then it opens up in a subtle bell shape, more or less like a mermaid-style but not quite. The girl who I made it for, Vicky, was very pleased with the dress. It really flatter her figure, it pushed up her bust, framing it beautifully, it slimmed down her waist (thanks to a strategically well placed satin bow tie in deep red) and it well defined her already hourglass shape. The best part, I have to admit, was the moment her boyfriend's saw the dress on her, for the first time. He went white..... Lol!

Trends for winter 2009-10: Vintage!, part 1

I have already commented in one of my old posts that there is going to be a return of vintage fashion in the next season. Specifically, 1930s due to the similarities between the current financial crisis and the Great Depression. I had a peek to a couple of magazines this month, (now is when they are releasing recopilations of catwalk pics) and the first designer I will post about is going to be: the great Alexander Mcqueen.
Why?
The velvets: so dramatic, gothic, alluring and sophisticated!
The furs: so 30s and they really deserve a great come-back. British weather asks for them to be worn at all times!
The tailoring: again, very 30s but also very feminine, practical and flattering to all body shapes.
I also love the details of the cane and those gorgeous pvc stilettos, they add some kind of "fetishe" air to the whole look, making it look even sexier and more "femme fatale". Gorgeous...