CoutureLust: Steam Trunk Couture

I'm beside myself with excitement to bring you the latest CoutureLust profile ~ it's been some time in the making. Meet Juniper Lindquist Fletcher, who along with her husband Christian Fletcher, brings us Steam Trunk Couture!

(Juniper and Christian in 2007 / Photo: Derick Ion)
I've long been enamoured of Juniper and Christian's excellent design-work ~ the attention to detail, perfect blend of modern tribal circus sensibility with vintage charm... every piece of theirs I've seen is glorious.

(Steam Punk Gown / Model: Ashley Knight / Photo: Sequoia Emmanuelle)
Juniper and Christian are currently hard at work on their latest creation... a baby, due any day now. Finger crossed that line of steamy baby-wear is in the works! And there are already heart-poundingly hot designs for men in their line ~ seen gracing the likes of Sidecar Tommy of Beats Antique.

(Sidecar Tommy in Steam Trunk / Photo: Derick Ion)
Without further ado, the lovely Ms. Juniper.

How would you describe yourself and your style of work?

I consider myself a renaissance woman. Whether it is costume & clothing or painting & sculpting, I love the process of manifesting dreams into this plane of reality. These days with Steam Trunk at the forefront of my creative wiles, I design garments and accessories that embody facets of Victorian and Retro fashion, yet are modern and street smart for today’s fast times. Steam Trunk fashion can be noted as “Antique street-wear”.

(Model: Ukushu Kazakova / Photo: Sequoia Emmanuelle)
Where do you find inspiration?

Fortunately all through my life, artists have surrounded me and craftspeople that support the belief that we are capable of creating anything our minds can dream up. Whimsical moments, vintage artifacts, beautiful textiles and the divine patterns of nature inspire me.

What do you do besides design amazing clothes?

I am also an illustrator, painter, costume maker, web/graphic designer, body modification artist and soon-to-be-mother!


(Model: Lucid Dawn / Photo: Derick Ion)
What are three things that please you the most in the world?

Three things that please me the most in this world are: the exploration of consciousness, creating with my own hands, and reveling in the love of my husband and community.

How did you get your start making clothes?

I began making clothes for dolls and myself through experimentation and the help of my mother who is also a seamstress. After years of private tailoring, making costumes and having a small hand made line in Canada; I came to the USA to be with the love of my life, Christian. Together we began designing a vision for Steam Trunk in 2007 and produced small numbers of unique garments, which were sold at fashion events and a few local stores. In the years to follow, we were given great support through our community and also formed with the Five and Diamond Collective, who has been a strong factor in our growth as a company.


What piece of work are you most proud of?

I am most proud of my “Venus” Gown, which is a hand detailed couture silk and taffeta piece. This is a piece from a limited collection created in collaboration with Chrystie Cappelli and my husband Christian for the most recent fashion show we presented at the W Hotel in SF.


Where can we find your line?

Our line can be found at:

Five and Diamond
San Francisco, CA

Ceiba
San Francisco, CA

The Congregation Of The Forgotten Saints
Los Angeles, CA

Gold Bug
Pasadena, CA

Dark Garden Corsetry & Couture
San Francisco, CA

Delicious Boutique
Philadelphia, PA

Morning Glory
Burlingame, CA

Gothic Renaissance
New York, NY

La France
Tampa, FL

CANADA

Belle et Rebelle
Montreal, QC, Canada

Sanctuary Curio Shoppe
Edmonton, AB, Canada

Bia Boro
Nelson, BC, Canada

Thanks so much, lovely Juniper, for doing this interview despite the impending birth of your wee one... can't wait to hear about your further adventures!

...Read the full interview...

Non-Stop Shenanigans from Jeunet

I've only ever adored anything that was born in the imagination of French director Jean-Pierre Jeunet. From the seedy dark delights of Delicatessen to the whimsical romantic giddiness of Amelie, Jeunet never fails to delight me. So it was a given that I'd fall for his newest film, Micmacs à Tire-Larigot, a phrase impossible to translate, but roughly meaning "non-stop shenanigans".

Like much of his work, the world created in this film is a saturated one, filled with magical realism and exaggerated caricatures. Micmacs is an unabashedly silly romp liberally dusted with joyful subversion, with an improbable plot about arms dealers getting come-uppance from a merry band of misfits.

Jeunet masterfully weaves his fairy-tale to feel like found-object assemblage art ~ visually enchanting, a finished piece that is so much more than the sum of its junkyard parts. The soundtrack is also lovingly chosen to win my heart, with a distinctive gypsy jazz feel sprinkled with mechanical sounds that add quirk and flavor.

Like one long Rube-Goldberg-esque sequence of related events, the film comes together perfectly in the end. Although nothing can ever top the glory of City of Lost Children, which consistently makes my top ten movies of all time list, I'd highly recommend this one to anyone who likes films of marauding and merriment. And who doesn't, really?