Molly Bloom knows style

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

Today I’m washing silk before turning it into a cute-ass top (it’s pink, it’s dotty, it’s a cute-ass top). I found a great tutorial about washing silk — in this case Hermes scarves. It’s an easy process but you have to be diligent. Ironing the damp fabric will bring it back to its original texture and dry it completely.

The blouse I’m making will be hand-washable because the fabric has been treated before sewing and shouldn’t shrink at the seams. A lot of silk garments are washable; look for ones without embroidery or lots of seaming or structure. I agree with the article that using a drop of dish detergent is better than Woolite.

The New York Times has a photo series called “The Best Hands In The World.” It features the work rooms of major fashion houses as they prepare garments for the couture shows. There are some familiar sights for me: stay-stitching that needs to be removed, patterns drafted onto silk organza, hand-gathered sewing to create a ruffle.

And I love the Dior sewers in their white smocks.