In the Pudding Club

It's finally time to come out of the closet... I'm knocked up. I've got a certifiable bun in the (rapidly-expanding) oven. After many years of being decidedly NOT ready to jump on the breeder bandwagon, we decided the time was right.

And so, I've spent the last four months in a haze of queasiness, violent mood swings, and heretofore un-imaginable exhaustion. Mind you, this hasn't abated my desire to hunt down all manner of new shopping temptations...

(Hemp & Velvet Booties by Bobka Baby)
So for the time being, I am putting away my corsets and bourbon, in favor of nappies and vitamins. I've been far more focused on important questions like "Is it possible to have an infant in your life and completely avoid *shudder* pastels?" and "How in the world will we decide whose surname this child will inherit?" and frequenting the brilliant alt parenting blog Offbeat Mama more often than my usual haunts of neo~Victorian and steamy blogs.

But fear not, my loves! I don't intend to turn this space into a venue to rant about swollen ankles and cloth vs. disposable diapers (tempting as those topics currently are). We're carrying on much as before ~ my love is already planning what kind of contraption he'll build for this little critter to ride in - no molded plastic stroller for us, no!

When I can muster the energy, I'll certainly still be posting here about all things fantastical and gorgeous. So I ask simply for your patience, dear readers, as I embark on this new kind of adventure!

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...

The Candy~Colored Glory of 666 Photography

What better occasion than a new Facebook fan page and an upcoming large-format book to celebrate the amazing artistry of 666 Photography?

The first image I discovered by Austin photographer Gayla Partridge was a portrait of a petulant corseted beauty holding a pygmy goat. I was new to the world of neo-Victorian costuming and had stumbled upon the picture while looking at the fabulous hats of Topsy Turvy Design. I was instantly besotted.

{Photo: Gayla Partridge / Makeup: Lisa Naeyaert / Model: Kayleigh / Hat: Topsy Turvy}
Burrowing into the colorful website of 666, I found pinup girls and drama queens, harlots and virgins, burlesque beauties and high concept art. Gayla makes all her own props and often hand-paints her backdrops, which gives the sets a timeless tintype feel.

{Wardrobe/Photo: Gayla Partridge / Makeup: Lisa Naeyaert / Model: Ali}
Like pages from a story-book, her photos speak of stolen moments and hidden treasures, epic display windows in the most delectable shop ever.

{Photo: Gayla Partridge / Makeup: Lisa Naeyaert / Model: Jenovia / Fascinator: Topsy Turvy}
Gayla delights in technicolor gloss and vintage va-va-voom. Truly, you have to love an artist who constructs five-foot mushrooms for her shoots and recreates period sets and moods ~ but with a campy modern twist.

{Wardrobe/Photo: Gayla Partridge / Makeup: Lisa Naeyaert / Model: Kalani Kokonuts}
Most recently, her breathtaking series of "Muertos" photographs, with longtime collaborator Lisa Naeyaert as the model and make-up artist, graced the glossy pages of my beloved Coilhouse.

{Wardrobe/Hair/Photo: Gayla Partridge / Model/Makeup: Lisa Naeyaert}
Gayla's love of the female form is clear, and it must be as joyful an experience to model for her as it is to behold the images. Peek behind the scenes in a recent interview with Gayla from Austin's Rare Magazine.

{Wardrobe/Photo: Gayla Partridge / Makeup: Lisa Naeyaert / Model: Jenovia}
See more of Gayla's delicious pictures and keep up with her on her blog, her mySpace page, or Twitter, as well as her website and new FB page.

Bonus temptation: the cephalopod-lovers won't be able to resist clicking this link to see Gayla's perfectly odd portrait of a little girl on the Cephalopod Tea Party blog...

Tarts Love Dollymops

Among the many lovely new things to be discovered at the Nova Albion Steampunk Convention where I was vending a few weekends ago, there was one towering standout, in my estimation: the new steamily-themed collection, from corsetier nonpareil Dark Garden ~ Dollymop Designs.

This glorious new line was unleashed upon a reverent crowd in a fashion show leaning more to performance art than catwalk. A parade of proud and ravishing creatures ~ gorgeous women, dashing men, and one capering child ~ made their way through the crowd in a sort of serpentine formal promenade.

And then, to various snippets of delightful sepia-chord style music, they arranged themselves into playful tableaux, in pairs, triplets, and quartets, as if they were allowing us a glimpse of an elaborate pageant. The effect was nothing short of breathtaking.

The vision of Dark Garden seamstress Kalico Delafey, the Dollymop collection was simply stunning on every facet. The muted tones of browns, khakis, blacks and grays made one feel one was looking upon antique portraits.

The whisper of military stylings, along with the structure of the corsets, lent a regal air to the models, tempered by elegant touches like feathered hats, ruffles, and furs. And there were skirts with big pockets!

The designer describes the line thus ~ "Inspired by the natural world, Dollymop designs are reminiscent of a bygone era with a whimsical nod to the subversively romantic." Dollymop also happens to be Victorian slang for an amateur lady of the night... not terribly far off from a tart, I'd say... which might have accounted for my instant and unfaltering adoration of the line.

See more images of Dollymop Designs here, including some from the very fashion show I attended... All lovely images on this post used with kind permission from photographer jules cisek, taken at various shows and events.

Dark Grace: The Photography of Revel

I have just sent off my Absinthe set of adornments to the stunningly brilliant Revel to be photographed. I discovered Revel while doing the CoutureLust feature on Blasphemina's Closet, and upon visiting her web site, Aesthetic Alchemy, I was smitten.

{Odalisque Precieuse by Aesthetic Alchemy / Wardrobe: HMS Latex / Model: Revel}
I am all aflutter with anticipation at what the results of this endeavor will be. Revel's vision is tantalizing ~ a world of dark and capricious creatures, equal parts fetish wickedness and Lolita innocence.

{White Rabbit by Aesthetic Alchemy / Model: Lauren WK}
Her styling is dangerously bold, with splashes of color and textures seemingly at odds... leather and silk, velvet and latex.

{Bronzed by Aesthetic Alchemy / Wardrobe: HMS Latex / Model: Jessamyne}
Revel meticulously builds and collects all of her props and sets, conceiving each image as a story to unfold and capture ~ the gloss of high fashion meets the curious sinister side.

{Blackbird by Aesthetic Alchemy / Wardrobe: Retroscope Fashions / Model: Revel}
Many of Revel's images are self-portraits, which adds to the intrigue. Her haunting gaze and lustrous pale skin are otherworldly, like a creature out of time, out of the ravages of reality.

{Strangeling by Aesthetic Alchemy / Model: Revel}
Indeed, I was struck by a quote I saw in one of Revel's online profiles, and how aptly it describes her dreamy oeuvre... from the incorrigible Oscar Wilde: It is through art, and through art only, that we can realize our perfection; through art and art only that we can shield ourselves from the sordid perils of actual existence.

{Nouveau by Aesthetic Alchemy / Wardrobe: Blasphemina's Closet / Model: Ariel}
I'm thrilled to be able to have Revel take some of my treasures away from the sordid perils of actual existence ~ and into her rich imagination.

Frolicking in the Evil Garden

It already feels far away now, but the Edwardian Ball was, of course, absolutely splendid. This year's theme, The Evil Garden, invited escapades involving indoor croquet and all manner of strange foliage.

It's always a pleasure to see the usual bands of miscreants - the Golden Mean Snail Car crew, the merry pranksters of the Neverwas Haul, Fou Fou Ha, and Kinetic Steam Works...

The Adornments for Tarts booth was much~visited, and copious quantities of both good bourbon and dark chocolate were consumed, as is only appropriate. I had a lovely time sharing my space with Industrial Fairytale, and some plans for collaboration were concocted...

And I was so pleased to be assisted by my dear Stache, who took his handlebars to a new level for the occasion.

(Picture by Mr. Nightshade)
Perhaps my favorite part of the weekend, besides the incredible costume~watching, was connecting with all the other artisans with an eye for opulence and detail. The vendor rooms were a glory to behold. I was mesmerized by the work of Rachel of Rubyblackbird ~ her meticulous processes, the intricate embroidery, and the marriage of soft textile arts with metallurgy won my heart.

(Picture by Mr. Nightshade, actually from 2009, shhh!)
She was booth-sharing with lovely Rachael of Nouveau Motley, who had a display of incredibly gorgeous assemblage jewelry. I was also thrilled to meet Tricia of House of Nines Design and see her most delightful hand-crafted hats in person... one could find her hats perching jauntily on the heads of many an attendee and performer, and Tricia herself looked impeccably fabulous.

(Picture by Lbc42)
Having the vendors downstairs from the stages caused me to miss much of the entertainment, but I did manage to sneak away for a few songs from my beloved Vagabond Opera. I hear that Blaze and David of Flynn Creek Circus put on an incredible double-trapeze act... and I was pleased I was able to see Justin, the event's incomparable producer, perform with Vau de Vire Society and his band Rosin Coven for a few mad and wonderful songs.

(Picture by Mr. Nightshade)
The whole weekend was a blurry bliss, if a wee bit exhausting. In the few precious moments of quiet, I kept myself entertained with handwork... and I have a never~ending supply of that.

(Picture by Heather Wakefield)
If you're intrigued and want more imagery, the best place is Mr. Nightshade's gallery on The Blight. And now, to finish a few custom orders and prepare for the next event... the Nova Albion Steampunk Exhibition in March!

CoutureLust: Blasphemina's Closet

I'd harbor a guess that many of my readers are familiar with the Lolita style. If not, meet Samantha Rei, proprietress of Blasphemina's Closet. Samantha takes the girlish ruffles and neo-Victorian sensibility of Lolita style and makes it sumptuously couture.

(Image: Photosynthetique)
She curates the annual Schoolgirls and Mobilesuitsfashion show, and her luxe creations can be seen at New York's Dances of Vice. And good news for dandies... she's got a men's line, too.

(Image: Fairytale Vegas)
Samantha is based in Minneapolis, and along with previous CoutureLust featuree Heather Luca of Scoundrelle's Keep and Megan Bishop of Apatico, founded the Libertine Asylum, a "society for the spread of fanciness, hedonism, indulgence and beauty." Ah, ladies after my own heart. Let's see what's behind the flounces in Blasphemina's Closet...

(Image: Photosynthetique)
How would you describe yourself and your style of work?

I generally stick to classic and gothic lolita. Lolita fashion is a style that gained popularity in Japan and has taken hold as a relevant subculture worldwide. It has a lot of basis in Victorian and Rococo fashion as well as certain other influences like stories, sweets and other subcultures.

Two of the best sites for info are Avant Gauche and Lolita Fashion.

(Image: Photosynthetique)
I also tend to do neo-Victorian and aristocrat menswear and for fun and friends, wa-lolita.

Where do you find inspiration?

Books and movies. Usually, whatever I'm reading at the time or movies I've been enthralled with each season inspire my next line. Music, too. I'm not really into sweet style, and since that's what's in right now, I don't tend to be inspired by the Japanese brands as much as I used to.

(Image: Aesthetic Alchemy)
This year, I've been inspired by Snow White as illustrated by Arthur Rackham (he's a HUGE inspiration in my life), Little Red Riding Hood, Josephine Bonaparte, story book villains, the poetry of John Wilmot, the films Gangs of New York and From Hell, Japanese illustrator Mihara Mitsukazu, regency era fashion plates, Valkyries, and as always, Alice in Wonderland.

(Find more links to Samantha's favorites at the end of the post.)

What do you do besides design amazing clothes?

I make fascinators and jewelry. I love that! It's one of those things where I do it in my spare time, then sell it later. I can spend time making one piece pretty. It's like meditation. Also, I love to read. If I'm not working, which is most hours of most days, I'm reading or watching crime shows.

(Image: Scoundrelle's Keep Imagery)
What was the most challenging piece you've designed / made?

I had to make five bridesmaid and one flower girl dress out of bright red dupioni silk. They all needed to look the same, but be made to fit each girl. It was very tough, because half the girls didn't actually live in town. I was working on this while finishing a piece for my best friend to wear at her wedding and her sister's bridesmaid dress, all had to be done that week because they were both getting married on the same day. That was stressful, but everyone was beautiful!

(Image: Photosynthetique)
What are three things that please you the most in the world?

Books, history and family.

How did you get your start making clothes?
My mother taught me to use a sewing machine when I was about 13 (early 1990s). I got into design shortly after that. I used to hand sew clothes for my Barbies for something to do. I didn't really "play Barbies" right. But I really got gung-ho into designing when I was in early high school. I started with my own clothes, then with practice styles, then made prom dresses for friends. The first year I did that, I made two dresses for friends for like $100 each. I was so proud! Shortly after beginning college, I started my Web site :)

(Image: Erin Nicole Johnson)
What piece of work are you most proud of?

It's a tie between showing my collection PULP at Dances of Vice in Spring of 2009 and a black and blue silk wedding dress I made for a Halloween wedding this year. I was so proud of that collection, I hadn't done a gothic line in ages and it looked so cohesive and elegant. And the wedding dress made the bride look radiant. I love creative clients who just let me go! I can't choose...

(Image: Photosynthetique)
Where can we find your line?
On the internet, at conventions (check out my ongoing con schedule for 2010!) and every once in a while in spots around Minneapolis.

List some of the top books, music, and movies that you've enjoyed recently...

Books!
Monster Blood Tattoo
Valiant:A Modern Tale of Faerie
Barnaby Grimes
A Lion Among Men
Seeing Redd
A Series of Unfortunate Events
Spiderwick

Musical inspiration this year!
World Inferno
Rasputina (My favorite band since high school!)
Voltaire
Circus Contraption
Gogol Bordello
Amanda Palmer
Dr. Steel
Emilie Simon
The Builders and the Butchers

Movies!
Gangs of New York
From Hell
Quills
The Libertine
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer
Moulin Rouge

Thanks so much, lovely Samantha! We'll be off down one of those fabulous interwebs rabbit holes now to find more inspiration from your links... just like Alice.

...Read the full interview...

Textured Bliss from Ramona Falls

I have actual hard evidence of the power of social media marketing, and it is this: I just purchased an album from a band I'd never heard of, simply because of their incredible video that was released a mere month ago and has been going around on Facebook. And I am well pleased.

I was completely captivated when I saw the video for the Ramona Falls song I Say Fever. Unlike anything I've ever seen, it's some sort of magic combination of Victorian paper animals and stop-motion animation, and yet feels totally edgy and now. See for yourself ~ and do go full screen.

A side project from Brent Knopf of Menomena, whom I haven't yet heard but will surely pursue, this album, Intuit, is absolutely brilliant. The songs are like complicated blossoms unfolding, opening to expose new treasures with each listen. The epic opening song, Melectric, sends me off to into visceral, textured bliss.

Unexpected percussive elements, shimmering vocals, orchestral arrangements, and sweeping variations in mood (due, in part, to the many guest artists who contributed) ~ the layers keep peeling away to reveal more loveliness. You can watch Brent get wicked with the looping here, as he records the luscious song Going Once, Going Twice.

Just doing my part to virally spread lovely music ~ so go listen.

All Women Have Secrets in Stiletto Heights

I've been mooning over the work of mixed-media collage artist Jennifer Gordon for ages. Every image she creates makes me flutter with delight. And today, I fell hard for this piece on her blog, and couldn't help but purchase the diminutive original from her shop, Stiletto Heights.

The Apothecary's Daughters
In Jennifer's own words, she is "very inspired by Neo~Victorian and Edwardian themes. Steampunk, vintage belly dance images, Ziegfeld Follies, Ophelia, flappers, and circus girls, to name just a few." Why, those are all the very things that I love, fancy that!

In Her Rebellious Youth
Like dusty pressed flower petals unearthed from a long-forgotten trunk in the attic, Jennifer's collages ache with hidden stories and desires half-met. Her characters are doe-eyed silent era theater beauties, pale gilded fashion icons, and folkloric dreamers, all frozen in time.

Cinderella's Longest Day
Jennifer assembles her pieces from antique letters and old ledgers, found images and ephemera, layering decorative papers with paints and pigments and watercolor crayons. In the end, a window into a secret history is made, and we lucky voyeurs catch a glimpse of the the color-saturated dream-world these wayward men and tender heroines inhabit.

She Does Not Wait For June
A quick interwebs search will turn up a number of lovely interviews with Jennifer ~ I especially enjoyed this in-depth one on Stainless Steel Droppings, which reveals that she has been a magician's assistant and a scenic artist, a comic book writer and a stage actress... her own secret histories, as if she, too, is one of her own characters. As she says in the interview, "Each piece is a self portrait, only the pictures are not me."

Airship Captain
It comes as no surprise that Post Secret tops her list of favorite links, as each of her images, with their titles like shreds of poetry, are ripe with the whispery secrets of ghosts.

I Am Half Sick Of Shadows
You may find art books, prints, stickers, bookmarks, and so many more intriguing art works at Stiletto Heights, Jennifer's Etsy shop.... where All Women Have Secrets.