No Sugar In My Coffee Makes Me Mean

Well my dearies how has your weekends been???
Well on Friday night I went for a girly night with my two friends - down to Kelly's for a few cocktails :) Try the Pink Lady if you like something sweet! Or my friend got a Strawberry Daquiri and my Oh My that's good :) Here's a pic of it with my Mojito. Along with the live bands playing I gotta say it was a great night!!!

Last night I went to my friends 18th party and I'm a little rough around the edges today.... It's like someone got pliers on my temples :( But what a great night! I much prefer house parties with friends than going out because it's so much more relaxed with the people you know, you can dance like an eejit and instead of randomers in a club giving you dirty looks, your friends can take videos and put them online :)

So hope you all liked my interview with Natalie Coleman :) I was able to use it for my Irish Designer Assignment in college! But now that that's done a new project has been shoved my way - my Historical Designer Assignment (the work load never ends!). This is all part of the Art Appreciation Module of the FETAC level 5 Fashion Design course. I have to say that I actually feel more prepared for this one because I already know who I'm doing and have loads of info on them :)
Charles James - America's first Courtier - if you don't know him, look him up! And if you love evening wear, like me, look him up now!

Cristobal Balenciaga - “the world’s best and only dressmaker.”

 1954 Swan Gown by Charles James 

Charles James born 18 July 1906 in England. In 1924,  his parents pack him off to Chicago, his mother’s hometown, where he began to pursue a career in fashion. At the age of nineteen in 1926, he opened his first hat shop with the support of his mother’s friends, using the name of a school friend, 'Charles Boucheron'. 

In 1928 he left Chicago for Long Island and set up a studio in Southampton. He later transferred his workshop to the Murray Hill area of Queens, New York.

James divided his time between the U.S., England, and France, creating both models for reproduction and custom pieces for high-society clients. In 1937 he made his formal Paris haute couture debut with a collection that included pieces crafted from vintage silk grosgrain millinery ribbon. In 1953, he received the Neiman Marcus Fashion Award for his Empire of fashion couture. 

On the 23rd of September, 1978, Charles James died alone and penniless in the Chelsea Hotel, NYC. 

A little history lesson from Freaky! :)

XOXO

Freaky Smudge 

THE FABULOUS NATALIE B COLEMAN!

I had the wonderful opportunity of interviewing, via email, the talented Natalie B Coleman.

11)      Where were you born and raised?

London, moved back to Ireland and was raised in the countryside in Monaghan.

22)      Did you always have an interest in fashion, or had you any dreams of pursuing a different profession?

I always loved fashion and the emotion of it but thought I might do something more academic when I was still at school. It took me a while to figure out what to do and I still change my mind a lot.

33)      Where and when did you receive your first job in fashion after completing your education?

With Three as Four in New York

44)      How to you get your inspiration? And is there anyone who has inspired you?

From everywhere, I design from my personal life so each collection is like a diary page. I read a lot and that inspires me and I get a lot of ideas from art particularly cubism and also films.

55)      What is the method of your design process?

I write a story first, I have a character or scenario in mind, then I look at fabrics, sketch and then start working on patterns, toiling, returning to patterns and then to production.

66)      What does a typical day in the life of Natalie B Coleman involve?

Every day is different, I travel a lot with work so if I am in the studio, I am up early, answer emails for a few hours,  deal with things like this which there is a lot of and I can’t reply to all but I try to help out as much as possible.  Do any press that has to be done, send out pieces for pr. Work on designs, sampling etc.

77)      Who are your designs aimed at?

Strong women who appreciate beautiful fabrics and design that isn't mass produced

88)      How do you prepare for a fashion event/show?

Send out invites,  work on accessories, model bookings, travel details, appointments with buyers. It depends on the show.

99)      Having worked with the likes of THREEASFOUR, Ragna Frodadottir, and Joanne Hynes, how has your experiences with them impacted your own knowledge and style of fashion?

I am a very different designer to all of these but I did learn from each of them.

110)  What has been the biggest achievement of your career so far, according to you?

I have had lots of good things happen and am just pleased to be still in business and growing.

111)  Is there anyone from the past or present whose style or choice of clothing/colour has impressed or outraged you?

I like Iris Palmer’s style, Dolly Parton, characters from Prisoner Cell Block H, Edith Beauvoir Beale and her daughter from the documentary ‘Grey Gardens’, and Francoise Hardy, plus many more.

112)   What has been the funniest or most embarrassing moment in fashion you've witnessed yet?

I have not really come across any that have not had an edge of painfulness to them as it is normally something of a disaster to a designer so kinder not to say.

113)  Being a womans-wear designer, which male celebrity heart throb would you like to design an outfit for, and what you they wear?

I am not interested in doing men’s clothes, I like men in a classic suit.

114)  Which fashion week do you prefer and why? London, NYC, Paris, or Milan?

Paris, it is the centre of fashion and you still feel the history.

115)  Do you have any predictions for what’s to come in A/W 14?

I don’t follow trends but I am working on lace with latex, leather, and natural wools.

 It really is amazing to get an insight into the mind of a fashion designer; someone who inspires others, keeps ahead of the times, creates such magnificent pieces. Designers really put all their emotion and drive into their collections- that's what makes them so great :) Praise fashion, praise designers! 

This has been your Thursday night from me!

XOXO

Freaky Smudge

The One that Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Into the Seat next to Me!

Where has time going? The same place my debit card and headphones seemed to have gone :/ I'm seriously pissed I lost them but no worries :)

Well Freaky has been helping with the windows displays and in-store decorations in Brown Thomas, Galway. I honestly loved it so much the last time that I decided to go back! Today I was up on a ladder. Now I'm not particularly afraid of heights but I'm used to being on ground if ya get me. Like I was too afraid to even fly, I was ten years old before I agreed to take a step onto a plane :O I guess in fashion you have to keep climbing that ladder...

At 17 I really feel like I;m having a mid-life crisis; I had it all planned out - now I see that that was my first problem! You can't plan your life and if you do, like me, you're just setting yourself up for major disappointment. I'm impatient, very impatient. I hit the ground running and forget to enjoy things! WARNING THIS IS GONNA SOUND CORNY: The greatest thing about life is that everyday is new and you can't tell what's going to come next. I should really take my own advice more often because I even do those stupid quizzes online about my future and career despite that I know they are such bull!! My voice of reason always appears to have a sore throat!

Speaking of fashion, (when are we not!?!) I have just completed an assignment which I'm thinking of putting up online. I would put it up tonight but I left it in college :/ It's a project on an Irish fashion designer! Lads, our country may be small but only good things come from it :) I choose the beautiful and talented Natalie B Coleman! What a star! I did an interview with Ms Coleman via email so, out of courtesy, I;m going to email her tonight and get her permission to post the interview on my blog. I'm not being a kiss-ass but she really is a lovely person and I've only ever heard good things about her! One of my main reasons for choosing Ms Coleman is that she attended L.I.T. (Limerick Institute of Technology) and got a degree in fashion design there, which is something I hope to do. I'm just going to stick up a few pics now that I actually used in my project on Ms Coleman's collections. They're wicked kids :)

A/W 13/14: I Belong To Me 

LOGO

S/S 13: Sarah's Suitcase

A/W 12/13: I Love Me

S/S 12: All The Jewellery I Never Got (part 2)                                            S/S 11: Damaged Goods

If you get a chance, check her out - http://www.nataliebcoleman.com!

Well my dear peas that's all from me tonight but I'm actually, swear to which ever God you believe in, I;m emailing her right this second to get the all clear because no one wants to sue me, I've no money!
XOXO
Freaky Smudge

Lazy Cakes!

Mid-term: a time for relaxation and rest.
Mid-term for Freaky: MORE WORK AND LOADS OF EXTRA STUFF THAT YOU SHOULD DO IN THE SPARE TIME YOU THINK YOU HAVE BUT REALLY DON'T!

Yes I'm one of those people at heart; I take on more than I can handle because if I get bored I get depressed but I never know when enough is enough! I'm starting to really feel the weight though- I went back into college today after the week off and got told that I look dead. I feel it.
There's never enough time to do anything really is there? Right now I can think of three assignments that need doing, the bed sheets upstairs need to be put on the duvet rather than the floor ( :/ ), so much research I need to do for other things, getting a job, getting more people to read the blog - ugh!
Sorry to go on but this is my outlet so deal! :P I kid because I love really <3

That's the thing with life actually... is it ever enough?
Since the 1800's there's been so many radical changes to our society - women in the work place, wars, diseases, Chanel getting rid of the outrageous huge dresses women used to wear for a jersey minimal look :) We thrive for more, and that's how we are all programmed nowadays. But that's a problem as well? Or is it just me that wonders what a simpler time looked like.
A simpler time but in reality it wasn't simple at all - I guess, to me, the elimination of technology creates a less threatening world.
And the competition out there is mental! Not just in fashion but the whole "the youngest person to do..." or "the one with the highest qualification in.."; Christ on a bike! It's such hard work...

I really want to move out, like I really really do! I've been hunting for a place all I need is a room-mate and ... oh yeah... Money!!!! But I'm not giving up - it's what I want and I'm a very determined person :) also known as stubborn to some people... In my head I want this little luxury;

But in reality, this little number on the left is what I'll get :/ I said it to my mum last night and this is the transcript:
me: "Mum, I really want to move out..."
mum: "No."

I was kind of like "ughh not really a request there mother!" but where she says "no", I see room for possibility and possible arguments in which I may win.. if she's asleep :)

Well that's all from me tonight gang
XOXO
Freaky Smudge