Molly Bloom knows style

I finished my couture gown and wore it to a party Saturday night. What fun! The gown was a project from Susan Khalje’s couture school last year, which is basically a boot camp for gown-making.

At the end of the week my gown wasn’t finished. While I finished my regular school work it hung in my closet. I’d sigh when I saw its copper shimmer drape down to a puddle at the floor, telling myself someday, someday. What I needed was impetus to get it done.

Then an invitation to a black-tie event arrived and work on the gown resumed. Picking it up again, I could see how my sewing techniques were more ingrained. I’m still thrilled with the color choice and am glad I went with the Grecian (one-shoulder) neckline.

Here’s another view of the dress, worn with my grandmother’s gold wrap.

photos by Ted

For the curious, here’s a look at my fashion line. It’s called First Resort. I hope you like it.

Zip zip zip.

Oh, yes. Indeed. Best in show. Monique Lhuillier’s Fall ‘08 show is the best of the bunch. This is some high fashion. It sparkles where it should, demures when it should and stays pretty. I would consider changing my hair color so I could wear those cool greys and yellows. The beading work (shown above) is rich rich rich. Like jewelry. This dress looks to be made of the exact liquid-copper silk fabric I used for my bias couture gown. And the blacked-out eye makeup reminds me of a certain clown. Adore.

Halston’s back. The label has been trotted out once again with a new designer. Yesterday the collection showed in New York. Today three pieces are for sale online: Two shirt dresses and a very Jerry Hall-esque jersey dress. Take a peak. Selling clothes straight off the runway is unprecedented — usually runway shows give editors and buyers the first peak at what may or may not be made, based on the orders for garments. Production starts after the orders are placed, weeks or months after the shows. Selling the clothes online is a brilliant PR coup for the fledgling Halston.

To answer the eternal question about time travel and where and when to go back, wearing Halston at Studio 54 is high on my list.

Last week Chanel showed the Métiers d’Art collection, a showcase for the Parisian artisans who add the glitz to the garments — beaders, embroiderers, milliners and so on. In the past few years Chanel has acquired many of the ateliers and started a special line to highlight their handiwork. Take a look.

It’s almost Christmas and you know what that means? It’s almost time for the resort collections. Woo-hoo!

(A girl can dream, can’t she?)

It’s all in the construction.

The Wall Street Journal examines couture and mass-market clothes in this short online video. Obviously the quality of the fabric is an issue. The way a sleeve is set can be a tip-off as well as the quality of the buttonholes.
(via FashionAddict)

PS to Vera Wang: I call bullshit on shoddy construction being a design element.

*Third Sin is a category for clothes that I cannot live without but cannot afford.

Behold, the Prada Chevron-Knit Jacket. It is very me. The sleeves are minimal brilliance, the zipper is tough and the black-on-black-ness of the material is more me than me. This beautiful, streamlined wonder works because it’s thoughtfully constructed, beautifully cut and made from the best of the best materials. A down-market version would look like a jacked-up sweatshirt or deflated down coat. This is one of those items that make people understand the quality of true luxury goods.

Ooooooh yes.
(via fashionista)