Work Placement - Christine Collections

Week 1

The date is 26 May 2014 and it marks the first day of my work placement, an important part of my first year foundation degree course. I chose designer Christine Edson at Christine Collections in Victoria Street Liverpool for my four week experience. She is an American designer, educated in New York, now based in Liverpool. Christine has worked for Walt Disney Theatre Productions and many of her costumes have been seen on American television programmes and in films. She has worked with many celebrities creating many costumes and she not only designs bespoke garments, constructing replica costumes from famous films, she also hosts fashion shows and various other events. Her collaborations with various models and designers give her added promotion via websites and social media. She has a part owner, Gerry Fox, who comes in from time to time to assist with projects. She shares a studio with Andrea Sef, owner of Petticoats A Plenty, a small business specialising in 1950's style wedding attire. As both designers have a small niche in different areas of dressmaking, both complement each other and sometimes combine forces from time to time in delivering specific garments.

Some tulle undergarments from Petticoats~A~Plenty who
 shares the same studio as Christine Collections.

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Marilyn wearing the original.
 Next to it is Christine's adaption.

Marilyn Monroe wore this red fish tail dress to the premiere of her husband Aurthur Miller's play "A View from the Bridge in London" in 1952. The designer of the dress was Oleg Cassini, an American designer born in 1913 to a Russian aristocratic family. He also created beautiful designer clothing for many other famous faces, such as Jaqueline Kennedy and Grace Kelly. Next to the image of the original dress is Christine's adaption. It is being made for singer Bexi Owen, who performs in many vintage events, burlesque and cabaret shows, for the National Vintage Awards, of which she was a winner in 2013. The dress is currently unfinished.

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Bexi wears Christine's designer lip dress.

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Millie Dollar in a photoshoot.

This dress was made for model and burlesque performer Millie Dollar. Heavily influenced by Rita Hayworth, Christine has indeed captured the essence of a true Hollywood starlet of the 1950's with a twist, "Rita meets the tattooed lady". This beautifully reflects in the picture and is seen on Millie's blog entitled "Style Yourself Vintage". There are other creations from Christine's Collections shown there, each with their own uniqueness.

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Haili has her last fitting.

Haili as Coco Fierce.

Today I assisted in some finishing's on a replica dress of Scarlet O'Hara's in Gone With The Wind. The dress was hand painted with lace and green ribbon trim to decorate, especially designed for Haili Hughes. Haili is a feature writer of Vintage Life magazine, Fashion Editor at UK Rock and Roll magazine, an accomplished English tutor and alternative model. She tried on the dress with her own corset and layered underskirt. This needed no alterations so she removed the dress. I had to remove a black ribbon from a hat she bought to accompany the dress, and replaced it with green tie ribbon, (already made beforehand) sewing it to the inside of the hat. I then attached velcro fastenings to the back of the bodice. 

Haili uses the pseudonym "Coco Fierce" for her alternative modelling, of which a page can be found on Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/cocofiercemodel?fref=ts

Haili's photoshoot in Vintage Life Magazine.

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The chosen fabric for the Princess Margaret influenced design.

The picture of Princess Margaret shows her modelling a beautiful pink gown. This is the influence to a design that Christine is preparing to construct. She has the pink satin sequin and chiffon fabrics and has to finalise her design. She also suggested I do some research into who designed the dress, what year, who took the picture etc. There is a very good possibility that Cecil Beaton, was the photographer, however, as yet I cannot find much information on this particular dress. I will continue to investigate.

I had only done a minimal amount of sewing, but Christine showed me around the business and talked extensively about certain processes within the business and communications with various models, burlesque performers, artists, photographers and look-a-likes (particularly Marilyn Monroe performers). She informed me that tomorrow morning, I am to accompany her to a meeting with Amanda Moss, editor of Lifestyle magazine.

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Tuesday morning and Christine and I were preparing to attend a specific event. At 10.30am, we made our way to Model 101 on Button Street Liverpool to attend a networking event. Amanda Moss, Managing Director of Lifestyle Monthly magazine and director of Liverpool Fashion Week, had invited Christine along to talk about Liverpool Fashion Week. As Christine provides an alternative to regular fashion, Miss Moss thought it would be advantageous for Christine to produce her garments to be showcased. On her website (http://www.liverpoolfashionweek.co.uk/) she states;

 "Liverpool Fashion Week is edgy, off the wall and elegant. if you are thinking big hair, lip gloss and 4 layers of false lashes symbolic of the WAG/reality TV culture then think again. That is not what Liverpool Fashion Week is about. Our fabulous city is making its stamp on the world's fashion stage with our eclectic and diverse collections from some of the most talented people in the industry. Liverpool is the one to watch."

Amanda Moss - director of Liverpool Fashion Week

Amanda Moss in her agency Models 101.

Models 101 provides space to hire for designers, models and photographers alike for photoshoots, design work and even choreographers who can use the areas to practise for fashion shows and events. During networking, we met people with various positions connected to the industry, including a hairdresser and Personal Assistant, models and even a company providing fitness and well-being to new mums. Denise Fergus and her partner had also attended to promote their charity which gives families in difficult circumstances some form of respite. Another attendee was Caz Moss, Chief Executive Officer at The Style Factory. She is currently running fashion related workshops for potential designers of all ages and is opening a branch of the company in Liverpool, hopefully by September of this year. The whole event was not what I expected at all. It was a very relaxed atmosphere and I was made to feel very welcome. I had been informed of these kind of events during my first year course and I now have a better idea of how they work. All very interesting and important to bring popularity to a business.

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I mentioned Bexi Owen earlier. Christine has agreed to construct a beautiful dress for one of Bexi's many performances, based on Princess Margaret (image seen above). She cut out the pattern for the bodice and marked the darts and notches on the fabric. I then stitched it on the machine. Then the skirt was cut, again I machine stitched it. The design requires a double layer of fabric, chiffon over sequined pink satin. Bexi came to the showroom for a fitting and no alterations were needed as it fitted perfectly. She will be returning next week to see further developments on her dress and for a final fitting. The fitted skirt will be shortened and elaborate detail will be added. A full skirt with an off-centre opening will be added so she can quickly remove it during a performance to reveal the smaller design underneath. Today was productive and tomorrow we will continue with this project.

Bodice and skirt - unfinished

Bodice and fitted skirt construction.

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Wednesday morning and the day started with the necessary task of organising the studio. I familiarised myself with the location of particular fabrics by stacking them neatly in their boxes. I cleared work surfaces and removed any loose pins, embellishment stones and fabric bits that had fallen on the floor during construction. This is important not only for storage purposes, but also for safety reasons. Christine then informed me of a featured article she had been interviewed for highlighting her business, which will be published in a future addition of Lancashire and Northwest Magazine.

Circle skirt construction.

The reporter for the magazine had contacted Christine and requested an online interview for a fashion feature. She answered questions he sent to her and sent him a photograph. I did wonder why he did this via email, and why he could not travel to the premises to write the article, and Christine informed me he had a short timescale to organise the article before the editor moved on to another project. Before print, he will submit a draft copy for her approval.

During the afternoon we continued to put together the pattern pieces of fabric for Bexi's Princess Margaret influenced design. The skirt pieces were cut from the pink sequined satin fabric and I machine stitched the back pieces together. 

Defining the position of the single strap.

The lining for the bodice was constructed in the same way as the bodice itself. A single one side strap is required for the outfit, so strips were cut from both of the fabrics and I stitched down the long sides and the strap was turned through with a rouleau turner, ready to be attached to the bodice. 

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Continuing construction.

On Thursday and Friday we continued with our construction. Andrea had made a petticoat to insert under the fuller skirt. When the whole skirt pieces were sewn to requirements, I carefully attached the petticoat, which proved to be a slightly awkward task due to the bulk of fabric used for the tulle underskirt. Once this was secured by stitching two rows of thread to the waistline, one edge of the waist band was attached. The skirt was then pinned to the mannequin for further alterations. 

Time to fix the hem.

The whole design was beginning to take shape, and it was time to straighten and shorten the hemline. Using the mannequin, I lifted it onto the table to enable a more visible view of the hemline. I then cut off any excess fabric and neatened up the edges. This took quite a bit of time as I felt the need to check thoroughly that it was accurately measured and cut. Once this was done, it was very clear how beautiful the whole dress would look.  

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Marilyn wearing her sunpleated dresses.

During the progression of the day, Christine began telling me about other dresses she has made and she spoke of the famous subway dress worn by Marilyn. She said she had to send off some gold fabric to be pleated profesionally with the sun-ray pleats. This is to make another rendition of Marilyn's gold pleated dress which she wore in Gentlemen prefer blondes. She also spoke of the technique involved in making pleated dresses, and how to construct it from a circular skirt, ensuring the bodice would be fitted to the body. In some cases, she exclaimed, isis wings could be purchased and used to create the gold dress. The wings are already pleated and are generally made for belly dancers to wear in a performance. These can usually be found in ebay shops online. The pleating company she uses to send her fabric to is F. Ciment Pleating L.T.D. Fabrics best used for this process are generally synthetic and woven fabrics. The thinnner the fabric used for pleating, the better the results.

Marilyn posing in her gold dress and to the left, Christines adaption made from Isis wings.

Marilyn with Travilla wearing one of his designs.

The designer was William Travilla, an outstanding designer who made many costumes and garments for many starlets, Marilyn being his main subject. He worked on many film sets and styled other stars such as Jane Russel, Marlene Dietrich, Betty Grable and Judy Garland. Some of his designs can be seen on a website dedicated to his fashion and costumes (williamtravilla.com). 

Designs for Monroe, Russell, Detrich and Jeanne Crain, a lesser known actress.

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Christine also told me she used to buy mannequins made to look like Marilyn, from America. The body would be ordered and the head with a blank face. A profesional painter/artist in New Jersey would paint the face, put in glass eyes and then place the wig. They are positioned specifically in a famous Marilyn pose, as requested, like the stance she took when she wore the famous subway dress in The Seven Year Itch. This can cost anything from £1000, depending on the customer's requirements. This type of mannequin is ideal for Christine's business given the style of clothing she designs.

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Week 2

Horsehair trim used for the hem.

To start off the second week, I went to abakhan to pick up some fringe for Bexi's dress. I also sourced some fabrics for a blue dress Christine was thinking of making. This is an important part of the design process, to know what materials you can acquire and to feel them and compare to other similar fabrics before deciding. On my return, I continued with the dress for Bexi, pinning and layering the fringe before sewing. This continued for the rest of the week, finishing the dress into the middle of the week. The full circle skirt, which was part of the full outfit, was then hemmed using horsehair braid which is a stiff nylon braided trim usually sewn in circle skirts to give a beautiful flow to a hemline. The trim was machine stitched at the base of the skirt on the right side. It was then turned under and the little loops at the top were pulled to create the perfect flowing shape, and hand sewn with a slip stitch ensuring the thread was not visible. This took quite a long time, but it gave a very professional finish with no visible stitch line. 

Hem complete.

Bexi's full circle skirt was complete. I had now finished with my part in the construction. All that was left to do was the bodice, which needed to be attached to the fringed skirt, and for the Swarovski crystals to be secured to the voile outer circle skirt. Christine decided to complete this herself, allowing me to move on to something else. Bexi had cancelled her appointment for her final fitting, and rescheduled to the following week.  

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Images showing the difference
between the first dresses sent out with faults
 and the second made perfectly. 

Moving on to another subject; quality control. Christine informed me that Andrea who shares the showroom has a very high standard of work. Her high quality petticoats are made to perfection. Now and then she collaborates with a factory she uses to make specific dresses to accompany her petticoats. She sends them a specification sheet with all the requirements for her garments she designs. It is also important to understand that communication is vital for this process. Correct terminology should be used in order for the makers to produce what the designer wants. When Andrea receives the dresses, they are extensively scrutinised. She ensures that nothing leaves her studio without being thoroughly checked over. However, on occasion, she has encountered a few problems. The picture shows the dresses that were sent NOT to the standard she accepts, and next to them are the original designs she had relayed to them. The first one shows the wrong lace attached, and next to it is the dress with the lace Andrea desired. The next dress was made using a bluish-white tulle. The bodice lining was constructed on the outside and the duchess satin was sewn as the lining. Needless to say, she immediately contacted them to rectify the problem, as displayed on the right of the picture. The third dress shows the pleated sheer fabric simply sewn over the shoulder area, yet Andrea wanted it shaped into the armhole, creating a much more elegant design. Again, as we can see, it was quickly resolved and the right dress was then sent. Mistakes can sometimes be made, but a professional will expect nothing but the best. 

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Marilyn's original "happy Birthday" dress.

Christine was also in the process of making another Marilyn inspired dress which she has dubbed "The Happy Birthday Dress". The original was worn by Marilyn for President Kennedy's birthday on 19 May 1962, over two months before her death on 5 August. Christine's version is made with skin coloured fabric, usually lycra, then covered with crystals. She has a high demand for this style dress as many of her clients are performers, some Marilyn Monroe look-a-likes, including one of her most successful clients, Suzie Kennedy who is known around the world for her performances. The crystals she uses are Swarovski hot fix elements. These can be quite expensive to buy but they have a special sparkle and shine to them unlike the cheaper rhinestones which are seemingly duller, especially when worn on stage with all the bright lighting.

Suzie Kennedy performing in
one of Christine's replicas.

One of Christine's adaption of the dress pictured
with Swarovski Crystals.

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Week 3

Bexi at her final fitting.

Finishing touches.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                  I had almost completed my part in making the outfit for Bexi Owen. While I altered the style of the strap by making it wider, Christine continued to finish off the bodice before attaching it to the fitted skirt. Not much was left to do. Some Swarovski crystals were fixed to the outer layers of the dress and once it was all assembled, it looked amazing. Bexi came in for a final fitting. Only a small adjustment had to be made and it fitted almost perfectly. After a few minutes of alterations, Bexi tried her dress on again and it was a perfect fit. She was ready to take it with her, ready to wear for the National Vintage Awards. 

Bexi Owen at the National Vintage Awards 2014 in Fazeley Studios, Birmingham.

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During the first week, I was made aware of an adaption of a Cassini dress that needed some repair work doing to it. The inside cups had been made too tight for the size needed, and so had to be redone. The cups were only pinned on ready to attach, but I suggested to take out the inside and use a different fabric. Ideally, the cups should have been redone from the beginning, for little did I know how difficult it would be to rectify the problem, and how time consuming it would be. The dress was made from a subtle velvet fabric in a vibrant red, and as there was a shortage of other materials suitable for lining the bust, I used the same velvet using the reverse side as the right side. Firstly I rearranged the fabric tubes on the front of the bust, which gave a textured finish and mirrored Cassini's original design. I had to construct a few longer pieces as some of them were too short. I then machine stitched along the edges in order to secure them in place. This was an ordeal in itself, as they kept slipping and moving out of position. I also had to add extra back and side pieces around the chest area, as they had been cut too low and this offered no support to the cups.

I eventually managed to sew it all in, using machine stitches and alot of hand sewing. I really didn't want any stitches to be visible, and tried my utmost to give a proffesional finish. The cups were sewn directly to the front of the dress using the sewing machine, but the lining was sewn by hand because of the awkwardness of where the stitches would be. When this was done, I then had to ensure the criss-cross fabric was securely sewn to each cup which would then disable them from slipping out of position whe being worn. Finally, Christine wanted the hemline altered, so I had to trim the fabric and the lining to the correct length and shape. 

Continuous construction

Ready to shape the hemline.

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My design idea for Bexi. 

Previously, I had asked Bexi if she would allow me to design an outfit for her. This was not to actually make it, but just as an experiment to see what I could visually produce. She agreed, giving me a verbal list of requirements such as; a 1950's influence, vintage, favourite colours and influences and fabrics and style. Then over the weekend I jotted down a few ideas. When I had decided on a design, I scanned my image (or photographed it and uploaded it onto my laptop). I then opened Photoshop; software used to edit images, and I began to edit the image using the paint tool and mixer. I was very happy with the result. I showed the final images to Bexi and she was delighted with what I had created. Although this was to go no further, I at least had a small taster of designing a bespoke garment to fit a particular personality. 

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Mansfield and Monroe in lace dresses.

Prom dress construction.

Not only does Christine have orders for performers, she has a request for prom dresses each year. Before I began to work there, she had an order for a prom dress for a girl called Bronte. She had requested a dress with a combination of a white less dress worn by Jayne Mansfield, and another by Marilyn Monroe. Christine had previously arrange a design for her and she was due to come in for a final fitting. Christine had also spoken to a reporter for the Liverpool Echo and Bronte had agreed to have her picture taken for a small report about Christine Collections for their lifestyle pages on prom dresses. Christine and Gerri had already constructed most of the dress and when Bronte came for her final fitting, some alterations had to be quickly be implemented and everyone rallied around to ensure completion was imminent. This resulted in a very beautiful prom dress for a very happy girl. 

The article in the Liverpool Echo
with a picture of Christine and Bronte. 

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Week 4
The final week consisted of finishing up certain 

Pirate costume made for a pole dancer.

dresses and costumes. One outfit Christine had to finalise, was for a dancer who was entering a pole dancing competition and she required a particular style of costume. She had chosen a pirate look, and had stipulated certain attributes for it. It had to be quite discreet around the gusset area as not to expose any flesh while she demonstrated challenging movements on the pole. The dancer had to come in originally for a fitting to ensure this was achieved and a few minor adjustments were made. 

I had done various things throughout the last week, including helping with last minute adjustments and the like. At the end of the week I began to make a dress for the up and coming fashion show in Modo. I was fully aware I would be working extra days, and in the evening on the actual date. So It was time to make a dress with my chosen material (along with other girls who were also doing their placement, Danielle, Jade and Amy). I chose a beautiful black and pink cotton material for the dress with the word "Love" printed in a cute scribbled effect. For the trimmings I found some black and white polka dot fabric and used a pink lining. I had cut the top half of the dress out of a size 14 pattern Christine gave me but the material would not stretch to a size 14 for the circle skirt, so the top was altered on the stand and a size 8 was cut for the skirt. Because of the difference in size between the skirt and the top, the bodice was quite baggy, so using the stand, I re-arranged the darts and created a center button stand for the purpose of decoration, simply done by box pleating  the bulk of the material ready to place decorative buttons. The bodice was boned and lined and the skirt lining was attatched. I then put it on the stand again with the skirt to position and pin the waist band. 

The process of making  "The Love Dress".

Zip pinned and neat hem.

When the waistband was sewn in and the skirt attached, the hem had to be sewn by pulling the material through the area where the zip was to be sewn. Once done, the zip was pinned in place and firstly sewn to the lining, then top stitched to the fabric. Any untidy ends were hand stitched. I was very pleased with my handy work, but I was a little disappointed that Christine did not have any extra dress fabric in pink. The way I had sewn it was suitable for a reversible dress. All that was left to do were the finishing touches. I made some small fabric flowers out of scrap satin Christine had boxed. These were to replace buttons and gave a very decorative effect. I also made one large fabric flower using both the dress fabric and the pink satin. They were hand stitched in position and the dress was then ready for the show.

The dress was decoratively finished off.

Leaflet designs using Powerpoint.

Christine mentioned an open day event she was to organise through the summer prior to the fashion show, and I had suggested trying to design a leaflet at home on the understanding that she would not necessarily use any of them and just for educational purposes. I came up with quite a few similar designs and even my son wanted to have a go. Mine were all very similar, but my son's was very different, and I think Christine liked his design very much using part of it on the leaflet.

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The Fashion Show

Pictures showing the invitation and preparations for the exciting event.

We all arrived at the showroom around 4:30 pm to five o'clock. we began to arrange the clothing in bags and on hangers on a rail which we had to transport on foot from Victoria Street to Concert Square Liverpool. The show was called 65 Roses Fashion Show at Modo which was an event raising money in aid of cystic fibrosis.

The finished "love" dress and models trying it on.

We arrived in good time but for one reason or another, the show was delayed and there was a lot of waiting around. In the meantime we picked models that were already hired for the event, to try on the dresses and see who was to wear what dress etc. I first had a blond model try on my now named "Love" dress, and Christine decided a dark girl would be preferable to model it, so she tried it on and it was perfect. During the chaos, models were waiting to get their hair and make-up applied, and others were trying on outfits, some of which had to be pinned or sewn, if they were unfinished.  Once the fashion show was underway, the girls all looked fantastic, not just modelling Christine's designs, but other designers were involved including Andrea.  

Christine's Collections.

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Return to the Showroom

Jade and I returned to assist Christine for an event mentioned earlier in this blog. It was to be an open house event which would enable her business to be promoted along with others involved. Before the weekend, Christine wanted myself and Jade to construct a pretty party dress made from satin and layered with a delicate chiffon heart material. It took us only a few days to complete between us and we were both very happy with the results.

The dress construction process

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Christine's Open House Event - August 30 - 31 2014

The weekend had arrived and we were all ready for the events to begin. Any last minute arrangements were tended to and  Jade and I were to act as hostesses, welcoming people in, offering drinks and answering any questions about the business. The V.I.P's began to arrive: Bexi was to perform some of her favourite songs; Claire Simmo from Radio City hosted the fashion show; Haili Hughes and Diva Hollywood were judges in the competition; the former Lord Mayor of Liverpool and personal friend of Christine, Gary Millar, called in; "the Hat Lady" set up a display of a small fraction of her finest creations; Antonia and Michael arrived to do vintage make overs; Not forgetting the vintage style models:

Bexi Owen ready to sing.

Claire Simmo dressed in
one of Christine's dresses.

Haili and Diva waiting to pick the winners.

 As the first day continued, the winner was announced. Bexi sang and we all had a fabulous afternoon. Originally there were twenty four models that had signed up for the competition, but for one reason or another, most of them did not attend, and although this was quite frustrating, the day was still a success, a few dresses were ordered and sold (including the "Love Dress" I made for Christine) and we all met some lovely people, some of whom could be future collaborations. 

 One of the make up artists, Michael Brennan, asked if I would like to have my eye make-up re-done. I agreed without hesitation, after all, it's not every day somebody offers to do this. Christine had hers touched up also. It was very relaxing

Christine and myself had make-up
applied  by Michael.

The second day was a little different as there were no competitions or performers. It was just basically a day to welcome in the public, show them around and offer to sign them up to Christine's mailing list. (This also applied the day before). The Retro Starlet winner 2014 was Zoe Campbell, and today was her day to get free vintage hairstyles done by Russell and Brown's Vintage Hair, an up and coming company specialising in vintage hairstyles. Not many people came to the event in the end, but it was a successful weekend, with many pictures taken, even a photographer from the Liverpool Echo took pictures for an article that was in the press that weekend. 

Russell and Brown's Vintage hair offered consultations and vintage hair styling.

Zoe Campell, the winner of Retro Starlet 2014, displays vintage hair.

Christine Edson pictured with the Purple Heart Dress.

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On finishing my placement at Christine Collections, I concluded that I had learned quite a lot during my time there. I experienced a taste of the world of networking, understanding that it is very important to converse within different circles, for instance, get to know hairdressers and make up artists within these events for future collaborations. Often doing one person a favour can often result in that favour being returned. At a fashion show, clothing may need to be altered with pins or quick stitching so it is a good idea to come prepared, also waiting around can be a major factor, the calm before the storm, so patience is needed, and organisation for when the panic sets in during the busy time when the show starts. I learned that time is not always on your side and some garments may need to take priority over others. I learnt a little about costing, however did not have an opportunity to practice costing sheets or spread sheets due to the busy workload in the showroom. I offered my assistance wherever possible and ensured I finished any tasks I had started. I understand that this is a must in business. As a hostess in the open house event, I found myself feeling very nervous and had to quickly overcome this to continue to host. There is no room for awkwardness in a situation such as this. I believe I adapted quickly and enjoyed every moment.  

My role in the showroom was that of a seamstress. The whole "worker and boss" role was very relaxed, allowing me to be confident with my work. I constantly asked questions dreaming up different scenarios and asking Christine how she would or should deal with that particular situation. Many of her answers would result in pleasing the client and keeping a cool head. Gerry, the part owner of the business, was almost like a silent partner, coming in when she could. I felt that there was no overpowering authoritative presence, however I clearly felt that Christine knew her position and would most definitely expose that in any given situation. Her instruction was clear and her information was acute, be it on historic and vintage designers or something completely unrelated. As she appeared to favour vintage styles of famous icons, I could only relate her to designers such as Oleg Cassini and William Travilla who both designed for the likes of Marilyn Monroe, although she mimics a lot of their designs, or adapts them, with the instruction of the customer. 

Christine had always been dress making, but her company "Christine Collections" was fairly new, only opening in September 2013. She therefore has to make herself known and promotes her company by hosting events, networking and various collaborations. She owns a few domestic sewing machines and an industrial machine. As time goes on and her reputation begins to proceeds her, she will acquire higher demands for bespoke garments which will then allow her to hire or buy more modern machinery. Overall I enjoyed every moment in the showroom and would seriously consider working with Christine should a position become available.

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