Some clients start with the fabric...........

Photos courtesy of Rita Finn

This is a good project to discuss because it illustrates how a client can be inspired  to create her own design - making me the craftsman who simply carries out her wishes!  These garments are courtesy of Jeanne Reed, Bexley, OH.  Jeanne is a long-time client and is adept at the brainstorming game that creates wonderful clothes. (It's an acquired skill, but everyone catches on.)  I'll be showing you more of her things in the future.

Jeanne first showed me this newspaper clipping of a Chanel jacket. The multi layers of fringe at the neckline were what really caught her eye. You can see that we didn't copy the design, that wasn't really the goal. Jeanne wanted a jacket with full length sleeve and a lapel line that would show the blouse, but we still kept the overall "feel" if the Chanel with the fringe and pastel tweedy fabric.  Jeanne already had already purchased these fabulous coordinating fabrics from Banksville Designer Fabrics, so we just took it from there.  http://banksvilledesignerfabrics.com/  Banksville, by the way, is my favorite fabric source.  Jeanne first introduced them to me several years ago, for she had a long-standing relationship with them from her years as a Connecticut resident.

The floral silk crepe-de-chine is beautiful with the light weight silk and linen suiting, and the luscious fringe (I believe from MJ Trims, http://www.mjtrim.com/, a great online source) pulls it all together. The suede trim  (Ultrasuede, that is - keep those dry cleaning bills down!) beefs up the delicate suiting, especially the sleeve edges.  Buttons were proving to be a problem because of all that was already "going on" in the design.  Jeanne had the great idea that I could make Chinese ball buttons from the suede.  Now, I have to admit, the first few were an agony and I was ready to call her and say forget it. I ended up spending quite bit of of time just figuring out the right size to cut the suede pieces for knotting and then learning how tightly to pull the strands, but the end result was worth it. 

I should add, that there are several more pieces to this grouping. The jacket coordinates with solid blue slacks and skirt,  as well as a skirt  and dress in the floral silk . Jeanne is always traveling, so having several pieces that work together is important. Having multiple coordinates created is just one of the reasons to have clothing custom made.