...henrietta + The State of the Industry and more...

Henrietta
Here’s a comic I whipped up last night, (to the left, click to zoom) I’ve got this character Henrietta kicking around in my head and here she makes her first appearance on my blog. She is loosely based on me, but by no means is me… The drawings are pretty sketchy, like the way I do my storyboards. I’ll do some cleaner stuff sometime, but for now I had to just get her out there and start putting down my ideas.

The state of the industry
I just read the response posted by ticia royal at bits and bobbins, (cute blog design and name btw) to an article titled "What's Wrong with Fashion" and the article really resonated with me. A month ago or so I picked up a copy of Fashion Magazine and got really excited about all the spring fashion trends. Gorgeous stuff, volume, loose flowing skirts and fabrics, and colour! I was also loving the patterns and the raw look of hand painted canvas. (See these dresses by Dolce and Gabanna.) I craved a piece of it for myself… A week or two later I was at the Eaton Center and I’m guilty of purchasing a ‘spring’ piece that I have yet to wear. It’s a sleeveless, flowy top with a bright flowery print held above the breasts with a wide elastic band and again just below to the butt. I tried it on with a complete outfit in the store, including a short sleeved blue cotton jacket with oversized buttons. I purchased the jacket as well, but not the rest of the outfit. I’ve worn the jacket several times, (even over a long sleeved snug fitting grey turtleneck at L’Oreal Fashion week,) but the top remains where I left it on the shelf in my too short for properly hanging dresses closet. It just doesn’t look so good with anything I have- so now I have this trendy type piece that looked great on the mannequin on the store and I have yet to wear it… And I don’t think the top speaks volumes of ‘quality’ either… It looked good on the mannequin anyway.

I think mass produced clothes are for the most part these days being produced to look best with a whole new outfit and don’t withstand the test of time. They aren’t meant to. I’m determined to make this spring top work, even if I have to chop it up and make it into something new- Next time I think I’ll consider the quality and longevity of my purchases before buying. In the mean time I’m making a couple dresses of my own with some gorgeous `spring` fabric that I feel is far more timeless and classic looking.

Fashion school continues
The couple dresses I’m going to make are rated as very easy to make by Vogue Patterns. I’ve still got the pencil skirt I’m making at sewing class at The Workroom to finish up and I have a few more patterns on the way in the mail. I’m building my design chops up and when I’ve ‘graduated’ from my own fashion school I’m going to start building my own collections. I want to make eco-friendly clothes though, mix vintage pieces into my collection and create a purposeful wardrobe out of recycled and organic materials. I want to build a ‘permanent collection’, it’s like a permanent collection in an art gallery in a way. Pieces build well to sustain trends and time to last until they literally fall apart. I’ll draft the patterns of course and keep them, so I always have them and could remake pieces and make pieces for other people.

I attended my third out of four pencil skirt classes this past Wednesday evening and sadly had to miss the Shopgirls spring launch that evening. I’ll visit again soon! From outside the store, everything inside looked gorgeous. I had fun at sewing anyway, here's the skirt in progress:
As part of my fashion education, I’m going through fashion related books. Right now I’ve got 100 Years of Fashion out as well as Guide to Producing a Fashion Show.

Alternative Fashion Week - FAT
I am stoked to go to The Alternative Fashion Week show in Toronto! And I don’t even say ‘stoked’. The site looks professional and so enticing… And the fashion looks fun and unique, can’t wait to check out the runway.

Elle Show
Of course in a few weeks is the Elle Canada will hold the Elle Show as well at Exhibition Place.
Schedule
Thursday April 24th - Opening Night
Friday April 25th - 11am to 10pm
Saturday April 26th - 11am to 8pm
Sunday April 27th - 11am to 6pm

Daily Photo Challenge
This is a challenge for myself and if anyone else participates, post a comment and put the photos up online with a link. The challenge is to take a photo of what I wear, everyday, for a month. Makes me kinda go ugh, but I think it will be interesting to look back on.

I recently realised that getting off the train at Exhibition I pass by the Toronto Joe Fresh Style office every day.