gatormade » stuff i’ve made

reversible baby dress

robin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:38:47 +0000

just finished a reversible baby smock made from two vintage silk kimono’s. the reversible thing was really a challenge for my spatially inept brain, but i did it! also, i know silk and babies don’t go together so well, but i couldn’t resist. the fabric just screams baby.

my first (mini) collection available at subdivision boutique!

robin — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:01:32 +0000

today i got my dresses in a boutique! there’s only three so far, but i’m really happy and feel quite accomplished. i have such a hard time finishing things and following through with my goals, but i did it! thanks to sami bear and sumie of course. i’m really lucky!

me – on style defined!

robin — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 04:46:58 +0000

check it out, my dress made it onto this blog!:

http://styledefined.blogspot.com/2009/02/fashion-show-at-foundry-lic-hosted-by.html

le sari dress fantastique!

robin — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:48:19 +0000

and here it is! hot off the presses, here is the dress i have been working on for almost two months. it made it’s debut at sumie’s fashion show at the foundry. it was great to be back at the foundry. what a beautiful space. i think i look as happy as i was the last time i was there!

Not every fierce fashion show will be in Bryant Park this February

robin — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 17:47:51 +0000

During this February’s Fashion Week, head to Queens for a night with

NYC’s hottest up and coming designers. Presented in the amazing Foundry space, the collections will include both fashion and jewelry.

This one-night event promises to deliver some of the most daring and delicious new looks for Fall 2009.

FEBRUARY 10TH

6PM-9PM

(My couture evening gown will be presented alongside with Sumie’s line at this show!!!! The Foundry is also the awesome space where Sami and I were married!!!)

fashion show at subdivision

My first runway show!

robin — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 22:06:25 +0000

A few weeks ago my sewing teacher Sumie Tachibana, mentioned that she was working with a local boutique, Subdivision on producing a runway show here in L.I.C. Even cooler was that it’s to be held at The Foundry, the venue where Sami and I were married. She said that she was thinking of having her students present pieces for the show. I tried not to jump up and down like a 4th grader, but I was superpsyched by the idea. I really wanted to take part. So she confirmed a few days later and I started sending her patterns and ideas. I bought a vintage sari and during my last lesson we sketched out the final design for the dress, utilizing much of the sari in funky ways, and customizing the look. I’m really pleased with what we came up with…

What i’ve been doing the last few days is basically restructuring the dress from the original pattern into the design we worked on. Right now it’s still in muslin. it’s kind of a challenge for me because I only know that basics of pattern alteration and Sumie’s away for the holiday so I’m doing a certain amount of guess work. It’s good though, because I’m forced to figure it out, which is great because I’m learning alot, I have to say. So here it is so far….More as it progresses!

dresses galore…and much much more!

robin — Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:59:05 +0000

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Haven’t posted much. Not like I think anyone’s out there reading this blog, BUT I have been a pretty busy sewing lately. I’m trying to get in as much as I can before Zikrayat begins another busy season. When the band is super busy I have no life so I have to fit in as much of my other creative endeavors as I can when we’re taking it slow.

Over the last few weeks I made several really neat little dresses, which is kinda funny because I NEVER wear dresses…

I also made Sami an apron for Christmas. Here he is bringing me a sandwich as I’m working…

I also decided to dabble in relational art after watching a marathon of “Art Safari”. Here is my first sculpture…

Here they go!

new dresses on the horizon!

robin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:18:45 +0000

last week i finished another dress. it’s from a 1970’s mccall’s sewing pattern.

the dress is made from an interesting woven material that has a soft sheen. i really love it, though it’s far from perfect! i wore it to an indian concert over the weekend though and it looked devine!

next is a chinese brocade 80’s prom dress!

rakassah

robin — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 02:17:31 +0000

long time no post! it’s been a super crazy few weeks and time has really flown by. last month i hosted my friend Astryd for a fab Raqs Sharqi workshop. two weeks after that, Sami hosted his friend Faisal Zedan for a workshop and bunch of shows one of which was Rakassah. Rakassah is a huge Middle Eastern dance festival in NJ. i have mixed feelings about rakassah these days. there is three times as much fusion as there is any kind of authentic Middle Eastern dance. We were they only Arabic ensemble! it’s a little bit disheartening. I don’t have a problem with fusion for the most part, it’s just there are so many baby dancers coming into it now, and have no idea what’s real and what isn’t. i guess i just feel like we are representing an already misunderstood underrepresented art so the least we can do is present it as authentically as possible. it’s ok to create your own thing, but maybe…call it something else?

the weeks before rakassah i did a pretty good job of stressing myself out (as usual!) i choreographed my first piece AND made costumes for the performance for yogi, me and sherine. they came out really beautifully, but i was literally sewing up until we hit the stage! immediately after i went back to my hotel room and took a 4 hour nap! i was so completely wiped out. as a result, i don’t think it was my best performance, but went over pretty well. the girls were really awesome and it was the most fun i’ve had actually in a long time. vive banat zikrayat!

here is dimitri doing a hilarious robot dance to tribal fusion music at rakassah while bridget looks on…

the dress that don’t fit…

robin — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 03:45:21 +0000

i spent all weekend making this dress. it came out beautifully. i was so psyched to have finally finished something that looked so fab, BUT it’s too small. I can’t believe it doesn’t freaking fit!!! I’m so sad. Oh well, I’ll just make another one…

it’s the same 1950’s pattern that i used to make the dark purple/red sari dress…