black swan

every now and again i will take on a crazy custom project that is so whacky, i just can’t turn it down. this month it is a version of the swan dress bjork wore to the oscars that the whole world had to make fun of, but in black. it is for a client of mine to wear to an oscar theme party. at my suggestion, she brought me a fluffy crinoline (one of those big square dance skirts), a top to deconstruct and cover with fancy bits, and a selection of tulle, netting and sparklies.

true to form, i spent the last few days thinking about how to make the swan head. i spent most of yesterday looking at pictures of, and drawing swans. i am not too patient with myself when i am being too mental, but i have to work these things out before i can start cutting. cutting is always the scariest part; not what to do in the first place, or whether the client will like the end product, but the cutting. i hate wasting fabric due to stupid mistakes.

today i had to make a practice head first. the transformation of a three dimensional object to a two dimensional object, and back into a three dimensional object is the grand challenge of fashion design. swan heads are outside of my normal realm of design; similar, but not the same as the curves of the human form. that, and i really like to get it in the first couple of tries, which i usually do. this is a direct result of over-thinking about the logistics.

now i am thinking about the eyes. ben tried some creepy giant taxedermy eyes on the swan head, but that made it look too flamingoey (and too weird scary). i think maybe rhinestone buttons, but i will be consulting with the client on this when i see her next. tomorrow’s project is to deconstruct and construct the bodice. that should be easy, comapred to the swan head. i am still thinking about it right now. if i am lucky, she will let me photograph her in it when i am done!

(i was going to put a picture of the swan head here, but my camera’s batteries are dead)