Texas-Couture

Last February I was visiting my hometown of Houston, TX getting ready to head back to New York when the artistic urge to create something for art’s sake came calling.

I had been spending time in New York on production sets creating alongside some of my favorite people in the industry and thought, “Well why not try this out at home?” When going about sourcing designers and local brands for the project, I kept hitting a roadblock that puzzled me for a while. Why was it hard for me to find luxury designers in a place infamous for being bigger, better?

“Why was it so hard for me to find luxury designers in a place infamous for being bigger, better?”

Since I went to art school in Houston I luckily tapped into my network first, but after exhausting those accounts it was onto the real work and running theme of the shoot—that Texas has its own prominent identity within fashion and it comes at a luxury price point.

I rigorously searched the depths of social media using every tactic I had up my sleeve to find potential designers. When it came down to it I was pleasantly surprised, not by the fact that there is so much talent here, but at how beautifully crafted so much of it was.

From jewelry to full length gowns, there were things that I had never seen before. When I looked at local luxury publications and the media, one thing held true and stuck out to me. There is a tokenism of Texas where it feels gimmicky and it doesn’t reflect the diverse perspectives of these local creatives.

All the people I brought to the team and to work with were tapped into because I believe they represent the modern Texas experience and all its nuances. I chose these designers (and they so graciously chose me back✨) in particular because of the quality in their designs, they are so passionate about their work, they exude luxury, and they are a pure reflection of the times we are in right now through the medium of apparel. Being able to showcase a different reality of how artists see Texas, the diversity behind it, and the authenticity of their work gives me a sense of pride. For that I thank everyone who was able to work on the project, you are the heartbeat of Texas, and we need creatives like yourselves.

At the time, one of the biggest challenges for us as a society was and still is (..I think?) COVID, in the midst of all that chaos I wanted to dive into the fact that luxury can be explored in unexpected places. As a native outsider, I tend to see where we lack. However, to come back to a familiar place and feel this new sense of discovery has been fulfilling in more ways than one.

From the whimsical designs of Mysterious by N.P.N to the delicate handmade flowers of Nicó’s couture gowns, I will be covering each designer in a new blogpost weekly. To be fully transparent, I can’t make promises because I just got a new job and I start next week…AHH! So it may take me a couple of weeks to start the coverage but when it does start it’ll follow a weekly schedule on the same day.

Credits

Director: Marly Barraza

Model: Shannon Winger

Stylist: Kiara Flores

Photographer: Sergio Melesio

Assistant Photographer: Mobeen Ahmed

Set Design: Katya Ansari

Hair & MUA: Jazmin Perez

Designers

Mysterious by N.P.N, Isrel Fonseca, Nicó, Dashe, Alantude, and special thanks to Lesley Bodzy for the gold art piece labeled, Jackie’s Fragility.

Drawstring Dress

As someone who advocates for slow-fashion, I try my best to practice what I preach as far as thinking sustainably within one’s wardrobe.

That being said, I had a (very COVID safe) event coming up and I needed a dress. I happen to fall in love with the Drawstring dress from OI and the seed was planted. I HAD to make the dress, I had been thinking about it entirely too much, and I did not want to buy something new.

I am usually on a computer when I design apparel, so it had been some time since I picked up the sewing machine (other than The Texas Mask Initiative) for a full-on outfit. However, I went into it with excitement for inevitable challenges along the way. I had a week until the event.

Orseund Iris Drawstring Dress

Courtesy of Orseund Iris

Where I Started

I went thrifting and came across this dress that fit fairly well and decided this was to be my personal block or pattern. It was especially helpful that the front neckline was basically drafted already. Once I traced the dress on to pattern paper, I then made necessary adjustments to resemble the drawstring dress.

When it came to seam allowance I added 1/4” to all seams except the side seams where I added 1/2” so that the excess can create the casing that will hold the side seam straps.

“Block” Dress

From Buffalo Exchange. Houston, TX

Following Steps

1. Traced the “block” longer so that there is fabric to bunch up for ruching effect. The final hem reached my ankles.

• 1 Front piece (cut on bias fold)

• 2 Back pieces (cut on the bias)

Also made the bottom hem flare out 2” then tapered so that once ruched, would sit comfortably around the hips.

2. Created 1/4” thick spaghetti strap patterns.

• Front straps at 25” long

• Back straps at 30” long

• Side seam straps at 42” long

3. Created facings for the front and back of the dress so that the cowl doesn’t roll inside out, and so everything looks clean on the inside.

Pattern Pieces- All cut on the bias

Top Left: Front facing

Bottom Left: Front bodice

Top Right: Back Facing

Bottom Right: Back Bodice

Front bodice pattern on bias

I created a sample and realized my straps came a little short and that I needed to add 1/4” to each side seam. After adjusting patterns I cut it out of the actual (not scary at all) final fabric and proceeded with sewing the final one!

At this point in the process, the event was the next day and I was down to the wire but I finished it and managed to even give it a wash. Whoo! *Wipes sweat.

Notes for the project: The main body pieces were cut on the bias meaning the fabric’s 45-degree angle. Front pattern pieces need to be cut on the fold to become one piece with no center front seam. Back pieces have to be cut 2 per pattern, so, not on the fold.

The fabric I was using was a woven and cowls are usually cut on the bias so that it drapes closer to the body for a flattering result. I used a water-soluble marker on the fabric to create strap patterns so they were not pictured.

Final Results

In the end, I loved it, there would be things I would change. The sides were still a little tight, and the cowl wasn’t perfect. But I felt amazing wearing it and that’s all I really wanted. (I’m on the Left!)

I made updates to the dress and made it in a mint color. In the end I styled it on a photoshoot set where we ended up getting featured in Gmaro Magazine.