The LBD - Hot Stuff . . . !

 one of the original 10 black dresses made form black bin liners

 I received an email this week from Sarah Patterson saying how useful she had found my book Hot Textiles.  When you write a book you never know how it will be received or if anyone will even read it, so it is always very satisfying when you hear your book has been useful.

Sarah teaches A/S A/2 and GCSE Textiles at Portsmouth College, she likes to teach students a range of techniques such as Photoshop, printing, embroidery etc. This year her A/2 group were inspired for the final exam by the little black dress and this coincided with a local exhibition at Portsmouth Museum based on the LBD. The task Sarah had set her students was to create a dress using non conventional materials such as bin liners, condoms (not used!) tampons (again not used!) in fact anything that could be coloured or turned black. The students went to the exhibition and collected great ideas and inspiration for shapes and cuts. When the students returned from the exhibition Sarah set a task to use bin liners to create 10 dresses on their mannequins. These were really successful and gave the students ideas on how to drape, fold and shape on to a female form.
 
Lily Bodkin - Inverted black playing card bodice and net/organza skirt with playing cards. - Model Daisy Marshfield.

All students found inspiration from various chosen themes such as, glamour, Alice in wonderland and Victorian corsets. At this point Sarah had contacted the Museum to ask if they did a workshop or something alongside the exhibition. What they offered her was a fashion show to work alongside the film Breakfast at Tiffany’s at the Kings Theatre in Southsea! The prize for the best dress was to be displayed within the museums' exhibition! All of Sarah’s students were very keen to take part.
 
Emily Barber - Black net and bin liner skirt. Nude body with black net and embellished with felt and crystalina leaves and bin liner roses - Model Jade Saunders.

This is where my book Hot Textiles came in! Sarah and her students started to look at different ways they could mould, melt and shape the materials they had. A heat gun and many experiments later created some beautiful dresses!
 
 Abeda Siddique - Painted doilies on nude body, and organza skirt with doilies.

The Fashion show was Saturday 28th May; it was open to the public and other students from Portsmouth University. Local award wedding design team/shop Creatiques had also submitted a beautiful black gown. Sarah’s students strutted their stuff to Depeche mode's 'Personal Jesus' showing off some edgy designs. They had a guy dressed in a black painted bubble wrap dress, very Lady Gaga.

 Jade Saunders - Painted bubble wrap body with metal wrapped bubble wrap skirt. - Model Chris

The winner on the night was Rosie Bishop; she had constructed a corseted dress made from heat gunned organza and crystalina fibres. Rosie has been a great student and hopes to go on to study Textiles at Brighton University, though she has had unconditional offers from Winchester, Bournemouth and Northbrook.

 Rosie Bishop - corseted burnt organza dress with crystalina fibres - Model Jade Saunders

 This is my favourite - very melty and gorgeous!

  Hannah Davies - corseted dress made from melted Tyvek, crystalina fibres and sequins. Burnt bin liner skirt with crystlina fibres and sequins - Model Jade Saunders.

 I think you will agree they have created some AMAZING garments . . . 
Well done to Sarah and her students.


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