A lonely atelier...

...I love this photo of my inspiration board from my atelier. Taken by Cheryl Schulke of Stash Studios. My atelier is lonely as I recover from my bilateral mastectomy: the machines are quiet, we have rearranged the workspace, the fabric lays in piles. My assistants are running the boutique but we've taken a bit of a break since the show and starting Monday, I'll be back and readying for the holidays. See you then...

More show...

...thanks to Refueled Magazine for this show coverage...
and all photos by Harlee Ria DeMeerleer/special to Refueled

Make-up by W3LL People


Carrie Berry & Amy Cook...


Chella Cardona...

Pamela Tuohy with her amazing jewelry on Summer Lawson...

13 years, 13 years

My dear, talented friend, Todd V. Wolfson has chronicled the before, during and after of my collection "13 years" in a short b&w video. And now Mesdames et Messieurs...for your viewing pleasure:

13 years, 13 years (Blackmail Boutique & Atelier) from todd wolfson on Vimeo.

FIN: Movin' on...

...like a branch on a tree,
I keep reaching to be free...
Movin' on, movin' on.
Like a long, dusty road,
I grow weary of my load...
Movin' on.

It's an old camp song.

"...it's done. 29 looks, 8 models, 36 hours leading up to the show with no sleep (Gillian, Aaron, Stephen and I never slept with visits and help from Alton and DJ John Gomi)..."

The show happened 2 weeks ago and I am just now waking up and processing. The 2 days leading up to it were a blur...the intimacy of the team spending wakeless hours finishing pieces: Gillian, Aaron, Stephen and me. Alton flew in from NYC to help and create the final headpiece with feathers overnighted by Abby from The Feather Place in LA. I remember John Gomi stopping by at about 3 am after his gig to talk music for the show and run errands for food & drink provisions. Pam from 2ETN came by the next day with her daughters Nellie and Harlee and Alton & Pam styled the exquisite jewelry pieces on the designs that were runway ready.
Elise, John, Javier & Jesse ran errands and readied the bar. Dana was organizing the backstage. Neil directed the volunteers and the front of the house. Soraiya delivered the macarons and Lisa from Delish brought fresh cupcakes for us to snack on. The models arrived and they sat on stools on the windows having their make-up done by the girls from W3LL People. Bryan showed up and worked their hair into soft, yet classic chignons.
Alejandro Escovedo & David Pulkingham briefly rehearsed the song "13 years" - a sad love song that set the stage for my collection. An obsession with something often out of reach, but one stays with it anyway. My relationship with my craft.
The emotion of the night was overwhelming. I barely remember the show but they say it was wonderful. I'll start posting pictures for those of you who were unable to be there.
Thanks for bearing with my late reporting on my show...lots of things on my mind, not the least of which is my surgery next week.
Ciao for now...I leave you with prep work in the hours leading up to the presentation:

Dancing on the ceiling...

so this is it...less than 36 hours from now we'll be done, done, done.
Can't really write in full sentences as my fingers are unsteady, my eyes are tired and I need a nap before I run off for last minute zippers at the fabric store. 29 pieces ( 26 looks) and in my eternal optimism, I say that only 2 haven't been started yet.

1. budget my time. Projects divided up by priority and what pinch hitters can handle what assigned task.

2. Pam Tuohy and her wonderful daughters arrive today from CA, with her amazing jewelry from 2ETN.

3. Alton arrives from NYC via Splendora to build a feather headdress for the finale...feathers being overnighted from Los Angeles.

4. I run into people and they say they're coming yet they never RSVP'd...hmmm, I'll leave that up to Neil, my production manager.

5. I need to nap before I can start the day.

6. Photos from last night - only there until 3am...but still punchy, nonetheless...AND we all seem to be addicted to Joy Division and New Order this time around. Strawberry twizzlers anyone? xoxo


Aaron sporting his latest find at New Bohemia - hideous Mondrian meets Lichtenstein...NOT an inspiration for us...
Gillian, my tireless assistant and her roomate, Dana...both working on whatever they can get their hands on.

Quick nap, fabric store run, then to shop to cut asymectric skirt yoke from linen and then attach leather. The leather evening gown is almost done!!::)
Eyes are closing, and my voice has left the building.

Look in the mirror...

"...and we know where we're goin'
but we don't know where we've been
and we know what we're knowin'
but we can't say what we've seen..."

The year was 1993...I had returned from designing couture (not haute! mind you) in Paris and got a job as a manager of a crazy, hip shop in Georgetown, DC called Commander Salamander. A streetwear line named "Poubelle" was inevitable. Am I embarrassed to post these photos? No, we need to look in the mirror and reconcile with our past...I sold to several skate shops and indie boutiques around the country and appeared in WWD and Seventeen. I hated it, though. The kids were fun...the blonde was named Lexie and the red head, I don't remember. The photographer was Michelle. As the song goes: we don't know, or remember where we've been...






"I'm feelin' okay this mornin'
and you know
we're on the road to paradise
Here we go! here we go!"

-the Talking Heads

n.b. even then I liked graffiti, trash and trailers...

This is the part where I get organized...

...it's Sunday night and almost midnight. Evan is out working and the twins are asleep. I have made the list of things to do for the next 10 days. The show is a week from Friday and there is much sewing to be done but also designs swimming around in my brain. I've mentioned that I work in small groups that linked together to form the larger collection. I think I've narrowed it to four groups: 8,3,4,3,and 4...that's 22 prototypes. How many are completely finished? 3. How many are almost finished? 10. The rest? Not started yet...BUT patterns are made, fabric is set, there is still draping and sewing to be done. I'll probably start the late nights on Tuesday...with my list divided into 20 projects, I'll tackle 2 per day that can range from forming knife pleats in washed linen, to attaching large hooks to lace, to cutting and sewing an entire garment. Sleep beckons ce soir...and all may change tomorrow.
Bonne nuit.