Meet Jessica, a power house woman who I had the pleasure of dressing a few months prior for a Cancer League Breast Cancer Awareness Fashion show.

During our first consultation, we picked out the perfect fabric for her summer frock, took measurements and I sketched a design appropriate for the Kentucky Derby.  Fast forward to look at the fabric draped on my mannequin to see the grainlines:

Jessica had picked out several hat options and we chose one in particular that would be a subtle contrast to the color of the dress. I chose silk organza in that color for the lining which would show because of the high low hem and would be a subtle design detail.

The first fitting was a muslin to get the bust point and neckline in the exact place necessary.  The muslin was a bit small and needed adjustments, which is always the case and it’s why we start with a prototype.  

After the corrections are made and a new muslin is cut, I use that as my pattern to cut the fashion fabric out and then the sewing begins.

At the second fitting I tweak the fashion fabric on Jessica’s body. You can see from the photo below that in order for the dress to fit snuggly at the waist I have to take it in and insert structures so that when she moves the dress stays taut.  

At the final fitting we have a good time documenting the final garment. It was most important to me that the bodice fit perfectly, that no bra lines are showing and that the décolleté is correctly exposed.

The hat needed some decoration to set the dress apart so I added white feathers which went with the whimsy style of the dress.

As I mentioned above, relationships are often formed during the dress design process. Jessica and I have a lot of future plans together. Both of us being breast cancer survivors, we are passionate about empowering women for early detection and self-examination. Jessica has started an organization to help educate women, called Night Out with “The Girls”. She has creative ways to make the educational process effective and fun. Definitely check it out!

Thank you, Jessica, for choosing me as your couturier for this project. Can’t wait to see what’s in store for our next venture! 

You can also read more about this project on Denver Post’s Your Hub!  

Looking for a custom designed dress for a special occasion?

Whether you’re looking for a truly unique wedding dress, an elegant mother of the bride dress, a creative gala or party dress, or other artful ensemble creations, reach out to Brooks LTD for a design that suits you and fits perfectly! Contact me online or call 303-573-3801.  

The post Kentucky Derby Dress appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Red Taffeta Shirtwaist Gown with defined waistline and full skirt.

I met the Editor of the magazine, Elizabeth Hamilton, several years ago. We connected with one another, as we both have a love of fashion. Elizabeth has been in the fashion industry for over 20 years and she has been modeling for Donna Baldwin Agency, the largest full service talent agency in Colorado, since 1994. You can read more about her on the magazine’s website here.

Between my former retail shop in Cherry Creek North, being a Colorado native, and having a love for animals, I was described as a perfect fit for being featured in Cherry Creek Now Magazine.

The pieces for the photoshoot were all inspired by my belief that women should be able to dress fashionably in the countryside and cityscape. I primarily used fabrics in the designs that can be intermixed and re-combined to create unique looks. Some of my favorite fabrics used in these pieces include crisp taffeta, lycra ponte, laser cut pleather, French lace, and Italian cellophane bonded fabric.

I believe the utilitarian shirtwaist style dress will be a staple in one’s wardrobe, so why not make it in a luxurious fabric? The simple sheath and the trendy jumpsuit are pieces to add to your current wardrobe.  Add a baseball cut “truth” jacket over any of these pieces and you can be at a gala or a country outing. 

To see the entire Black & Red collection online, visit my Lookbooks page. You can also head on over to see the full spread in the online magazine. 

As always, these shoots take a village. I could not have had a better team to execute this fabulous high fashion spread. Many thanks to:

Stylist: Mary Spicer 

Photographer: Hardy Klahold 

Models: Christine Olyer

Janina Lawrence

Mallory High

Hair: Mark Gallegos 

Makeup: Bethany Joy Geraghty 

Venue:  TAHA Suri Alpaca Ranch 

The post Brooks LTD is Featured in Cherry Creek Now Magazine appeared first on Brooks Ltd.

Not peach, not orange, salmon. That was her driving force for the entire wedding, from flowers, cake and everything in between.

The Process of Designing Karen’s Custom Wedding Dress

It was quite the journey for me to find the exact match from a color swatch. When I pulled out a color card of available laces, there was the exact color. Finding the undergarment color fabric was the challenge. I was thinking I may have to dye the silk to get the right color. Not only was the color important but the quality of the fabric needed to have body as Karen wanted a strapless dress. Boning and structure were eminent in this complicated task.

I like to take a photo of my client in her daytime clothing so that I can look at it during the creative process.

One thing I suggest to potential brides is to bring in their vision of what a gown for their day would look like. I find it so interesting that women have a vision of what they want to look like and sometimes the technical aspect doesn’t work with either the fabric or a body type.

Strapless dresses demand so much structure for the gown to stay up, the inside of the garment is highly constructed so that the wearer will be comfortable all night and not tug at her gown for staying in place. I love a challenge!

Here is the original vision of the gown Karen saw herself in:

Fast forward to one of the next steps in the custom-dress process, I create a strapless prototype for Karen to try on.

At the second fitting, not only does the prototype have the shape we are trying to achieve, but I use the exact kind of fabric for the sample. In order to see how something is going to fit, we have to first create it in the fabric we plan to use. 

You’ll see in photo below that I used the salmon duchess satin for the bustline fit. Although it looks odd, it gives me the perspective I need to continue to the next step.

Photo credit: Meredith Harris Photo

It is at this point that I suggest Karen consider sleeves to hold the gown in place. It is still constructed like a strapless gown but has the extra security of a cap sleeve for beauty and function. Even small cap sleeves can help provide a more elegant aesthetic for any body type, especially since strapless dresses can often appear a little too snug around the arms/shoulders and upper back. 

Meredith also captured me fitting the lace overlay on Karen in my atelier so that the pattern is symmetrical with some extra movement in the back of the gown, mainly a subtle train. 

Photo credit: Meredith Harris Photo

Photo credit: Meredith Harris Photo

After this fitting, the details of the sleeves and the fit were the main concern. We needed to make sure she could move easily and feel comfortable on her big day.

Here are a few shots I took on delivery day:

The Day of the Wedding

At the wedding, Heather and Gunther of High Altitude Photography captured the dress in an elegant way. As you can see the dress fit Karen beautifully, she was able to move without restraint, and her venue, hair and other details blended together seamlessly. I am so appreciative of High Altitude Weddings to share the day with me through their creative photography!

It’s so gratifying to see ‘the day of’.  Thank you to Meredith Harris and High Altitude Photography for their work and Karen’s vision of an unusual dress in an unexpected color to complete her wedding dreams.

Yes, dreams do come true.

Contact Brooks LTD for a Custom Wedding Dress

Sometimes your vision for the big day requires a wedding dress no one else has worn! Reach out to me for a custom wedding dress that fits you and suits your personality perfectly.

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