Swan Lake Hat

A friend of mine just decided to sell some clothes and accessories, and was kind enough to ask me if I wanted to buy a certain hat from her, before she sold it to someone else. When I saw it, I definitely felt this one needed to be added to my hat collection! And here is why...

Gorgeous, isn't is?... It's a half hat from the 1940s or 50s, covered in the softest white feathers, that has light-pink nuances in it.

As the label on the inside says, it originally comes from Modes Bettina in Vienna. I googled the name, but unfortunately I didn't find any info about it's origins.

It fits my small-sized head perfectly, and I feel I could definitely dance Swan Lake in it. Haha! Love my new hat...

Stage Fright

My best friend - and landlady - Fanny started a project she calls Stage Fright a few months ago. As she loves the sparkling world of burlesque, but actually have stage fright, she decided to put part of herself on stage by sewing costumes for other burlesque dancers instead. And so her project began... Fanny has a degree in Fashion Design and is very talented at coming up with ideas for incredible costumes! As we both know many burlesque dancers, she quickly got a full sewing-schedule, as many of them wanted costumes created by her. These last few months the apartment has looked like burlesque heaven, with sequins, pearls and feathers flying around everywhere! Here are some of her amazing creations, designed, sewn, and meticulously decorated - often by hand - by herself...

Photo: John-Paul Bichard

The Circus Dress for Fräulein Frauke.

Photo: Darklark

Black dress for Elegy Ellem's Bat Night act.

Part of a costume in progress for Contessa Blackbird.

30s inspired New Years Eve dress for Elegy Ellem.

New Years Eve dress for Fräulein Frauke.

Detail of the dress above.

Belly dancing outfit for Yvette Les Fesses.

Harley Quinn dress for Elegy Ellem.

Carmen Miranda hat, modelled by gorgeous Fanny herself!

Hat for me!!! I didn't even ask for this, she just made it anyway!

As you can see, Fanny makes creations that doesn't have to be used on stage too. If you feel like you need a costume, fancy dress, or maybe a hat, you can always contact Fanny on her Facebook page Stage Fright here! 

Kate MaccGwire

A while ago I saw a few pictures of some sculptures/installations made by the artist Kate MaccGwire. I had never heard of her till then, but what I saw was really cool - so now you'll get to see it too! How nice of me - ain't it?!...

The cool thing about Kate MacGwire is that she uses feathers to create her art. Thousands of feathers combined to create soft sculptures and flowing installations! This is how her work is described on her web site:


"Kate MccGwire's practice probes the beauty inherent in duality, exploring the play of opposites - at an aesthetic, intellectual and visceral level - that characterises the way we conceive the world. She does this by appealing to our essential duality as human beings, to our senses and our reason, and by drawing on materials capable of embodying a dichotomous way of seeing, feeling and thinking. The finished work has a consistent 'otherness' to it that places it beyond our experience of the world, poised on a threshold 
between the parameters that define everyday reality."

Vex, 2008

To me, this looks like a caged animal, just waiting to be released...

Heave, 2008

Evacuate, 2010

If I was cooking, and this would start to flow out of the stove, I would definitely evacuate!...And then take pictures of it from a safe distance...

Evacuate, 2010

Corvid, 2011

Slick, 2010

Urge

Gag