RSVP To Stylin'

Gearing up to take part in a fashion show in the newly renovated loft space above Atelier 27 so there's plenty of prep going on. It's going to be an intimate invite-only affair, a great opportunity to showcase current stock and to preview a taster of what's to come. The De Loup sneak-peek is going to be a studded bag; a black cotton tote bag with 81 square pyramid style studs applied (painfully, but with minimal bloodshed) in a grid formation. Having spoken with Kelly who will be styling the show, she plans to pair the bag with my De Loup "Mesh-Band" Maxi Dress in flamingo (see above picture). I think the two will work nicely as a cool and inexpectedly trans-seasonal look. And until the studded bags come into play, I've done some tie-dye totes. Other new pieces I have ready for the show include bleached denim shorts with black fringing around the legs and a t-shirt I've called "Coachepunk" (after the festival Coachella cos I think it encapsulates that whole vibe.. kinda..) which features pink tie-dye and conical studs spaced out around the shoulder seam. I've also made some acrylic brooches to be included in the guests' goodie bags. The show is intended to in a way re-launch the atelier space and to demonstrate the talent housed within it, and it looks like it's set to do just that wih a serious dose of style and bubbly.

Shots To Shop From

 

Non-stop studio buzziness right now. In full-on printing mode at the moment. Another set of commission tees for those talented boys at Statues Of Us means it would probably be best if I was surgically attached to the printing blocks for the next few days. But there's still plenty of other things going on. Working on new season (A/W '12) pieces to feature in the Atelier 27 fashion show in a couple of weeks. So far that has involved a lot of pyramid studding and tie-dye work. Oh, and tote bags! I'm aware that this is a somewhat short and sweet manic post, but hey, that's just the nature of things at present! So in keeping with that and getting back to the band buzz, check out these new product shots of the slogan vest-tees by De Loup. This is the "Favourite Band" version. Just got hold of them today from the fantastic photographer Jane Cummins. They'll be perfect for the De Loup online shop on www.storenvy.com as well as the stand-alone De Loup online shopping op coming soon. 

No Hippies Here

I recently saw a headline on thefashionpolice.net site that reads "AMERICAN APPAREL UNDER FASHION POLICE INVESTIGATION FOR NON-HIPPIE RELATED USE OF TIE-DYE" and it made me smile since that's kinda what I'm trying to do with some new De Loup pieces. Forget flower power, forget that typical tie-dye four colour swirl, forget school art projects. I'm using techniques that create more of an organic subtle pattern, kinda like this picture here. (Ok, I know it's not the most tie-dye focused shot but you can see a batique-ish look to the tee. I may have been distracted a bit by the Pan's Labyrinth-lite pose..) I've been experimenting with black on mid-pink which gives a murky sunsetty colour, and surprisingly quite an All Saints-esque vibe. Whatever it is, it's loaned itself to a few scarves quite nicely. Canvas tote bags have also been hit with the dye, whether scrunched or pleated. And of course there are tees coming too. The next colour to get mixed up is going to be what's billed on the packet as being flamingo pink, but we shall see, I always have reservations about dye colour references! I've never been the hugest fan of tie-dye really, it does have a bit of a bad rep, but I think it can be made chic. So summer for De Loup is going to feature dyed pieces that will be the answer to your festival prayers and that can make an easy transition into your regular wardrobe. And not one tinted-glasses wearing bearded hippie in sight.