Since I've got Fashion Week on the brain, and because I also design clothing for a living and all, I thought it would be fun to share some photos (backstage and on the runway) from my last spring/summer collection that I showed at Chicago Fashion Week and Portland Fashion Week.
My vision for this collection was the concept of discovering nature in urban environments. The collection was entirely made up of sustainable materials: organic cotton sateen, organic cotton twill, and a hemp/tencel blend, all dyed with low impact dyes.
I focused on using floral printed fabrics, ruffles and draping to represent nature (flowers, ocean waves, and mountains), and combined them with sharper lines - through tiered and pleated detailing - to represent urban architecture and the overall grittiness of the city.
Although fashion weeks were originally put into place so buyers and press could have a first hand look at designer's collections before they were released to the public, the internet changed that. These days, the public has access to viewing these collections minutes after they show. It's both amazing (yay for public access!) and difficult (boo to chain stores that steal designs). That's an entirely different post :), so I'll just say that the experience is wonderful and hectic. It takes months of preparation and is over in an instant.
A few of you have asked if I'm showing my spring/summer 2012 collection in any fashion weeks this year. Alas, I decided to sit them out this time around. This lady needed a breather from the madness. And to be frank, fashion weeks + wedding planning is quite possibly the perfect recipe for a mental breakdown (or at least incurable exhaustion). These photos bring back such great memories though. I hope you enjoy them as well!
Have you been following New York Fashion Week? If so, any favorite collections so far?
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Oh my goodness- you are so amazing, my dear! I love all of these looks! And your styling is so gorgeous! And it is so wonderful that you use fabrics and dyes that are healthy for our environment! You are so inspirational :)
ReplyDeleteI hope you are having a great time watching the NYFW shows too! I am really excited so far!
Wow!! This is super interesting and soooo cool!! Your clothing is beautiful and looked great on the runway. That must be really exciting :-). I am excited to see Betsey Johnson too.
ReplyDeletei am jealous! you are so fortunate to have put on your very own fashion show!
ReplyDeletei haven't really been following fashion week, i need to get on that!
brittany
prettylittlevintage
Everything looks great! I'm especially liking the ruffles.
ReplyDeleteI've been following fashion week, and not that I have anywhere fancy to go, but I always like seeing what Elie Saab comes up with.
Your collection is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone! I had a lot of fun showing last years collection at both fashion weeks. I'm admittedly sighing with relief that I'm not preparing to do any this fall, but despite the exhaustion that comes along with it, showing in fashion weeks is definitely an amazing time.
ReplyDeletexo,
m
I love this look behind the scenes! I can only imagine the pressure, the energy and the excitement flowing in such a moment. I also love your designs - the seem so simple and have clean lines, you are an inspiration, Melissa!
ReplyDeleteI don't really have time to follow Fashion Week this time.
That's so awesome!!!
ReplyDeletei like your nature inspired mountains over the moon collection with the ruffles, & ribbon!
ReplyDeletehttp://honeybeelane.blogspot.com/