English Rose portraits
If I don't share these photos now I'll sit on them waiting for the 'right time'.
The main English Rose photograph is the image that means the most to me of the whole set. My studio came with these murals and I had it noted on my shot list to see if the Queen Elizabeth 1st would work as a portrait shot. I had planned for Sophia to do a similar pose to Princess Margaret in the Cecil Beaton Dior dress image, sat with the dress flared all around and looking regal. The proportions and idea of Elizabeth looming over Sophia didn't work.
I asked Sophia sit up on the mantelpiece where she nestled in front of Elizabeth as a successor rather than a subject.
The result portrays An English Rose.
I'm really pleased with them but have been looking at them non stop for the last 7 days and have lost all perspective. I hope when I look back on them next year I will still love some of these shots.
Sophia made every shot beautiful, it was impossible to choose. Usually I get maybe 20% usable images from a shoot. I’m not great at directing or use the wrong settings. This shoot there were 90% usable. A professional model makes a huge difference.
I booked Sophia to model as I had worked with her before and knew she was professional and had the face I needed. Sophia is also a designer maker and creative from London so in this image in particular was fitting not just in looks but in identity. I understand this is very much my gaze and about my own cultural identity being British and needing a way to look at it with hope and pride.
To feel the shame of being English which I had for so long, discounted all the people here who are brilliant and inspiring and just getting on. I gave too much focus to those who hate and need to only give air to those who hope.
I just kept saying to myself, focus on the beautiful. This is what its about.
These are my favorite 11 today
Model - Sophia Brown aka Velvet Jones
Photographs - Alexandra King
Mannequin
Silk Dress
For the first time I've been using the front room of my studio to work in. Why haven't I done this sooner. This is a silk dress I've been working on for a new project.
I rented my studio so I had an 'impressive' space for customers and the front room was reserved for them whist I worked in the back with terrible light. So much of my confidence in my work was bound up in having a suitably luxurious space for brides and customers. I was so worried about what they would think that I dropped the prices of my dresses inline with my confidence.
After years of having various studios, a shop and now the dream studio I realize that my work is about the dresses I create not impressing customers with whats expected in the bridal industry. I used to stress about whether my teaspoons were fancy enough!
I once heard a story about Alexander McQueen turning up with his dresses in a bin bag. He created some of the most beautiful garments I have ever seen up close.
As a designer maker I'm not here to fluff customers with bubbly and a sales performance, I'm here to make beautiful things.
Tulle
I am feeling more inspired at the moment by photography than the dresses. They are almost becoming a vehicle for the photography. I tend to find new inspiration a distraction from what I am working on when it gets to the hard part of finishing the piece. Ideas are very easy but seeing it through to a finished body of work which may never pay the bills is hard.
At the moment I need to see things through till the end of the year, maybe in 5 years time I could become a photographer if I put the work in.
I am trying to produce an image a day of my fashion work to make days books which may help me engage more with this side of my work. I am so incredibly lucky and privileged to be able to work for myself creatively every day. Its silly that I would sometimes be happier washing up with less worries and cash at the end of the week.
Above is the tulle on my machine table being made into an underskirt.
Pink Peony Dress Remnant Photographs
Face Masks in the Making
The UK should have been more prepared and had stock of and access to PPE for everyone. We never thought our skills would be needed to make face masks.
They about were keeping others safer from your coughs and sneezes, rather than you safe from others. Social distancing and hand washing still came first.
