Article On The Glam Adelaide Website Featuring Myself

During the week, myself and two other students, Lani de Beer and Najree Lydiard recieved a call from Glam Adelaide asking if we'd like to do a phone interview which would be put into a profile and posted on their website. Of coarse we were all so stoked, so we happily answered thier questions.

I have never done a phone interview, or any interview for that matter, and it was quite nerve racking being put on the spot. I just felt like I was rambling on and on, hahaha. But the article is great, it includes a shoot from our ranges which was done by the photography TAFE students. So feel free to have a read :]]

www.glamadelaide.com.au/main/tafe-sa-fashion-stars-set-to-shine-at-graduates-parade/

Model Fittings Done !!

Yesterday, Thursday the 28th, 17 models came in for fittings from 12pm-4pm. Everyone including myself were running around like chickens with no heads, hahaha. In our room you could feel the tension between us all, the air seemed still.

From about 9am till 11am the models racks were pretty empty but filled up shortly after once everyone realised they needed to get their garments fitted, even if that meant pinning it onto the model !!

Some people had successful fittings, and others not so successful. Apart from a rocky start, the rest of my fittings went pretty well. My main drama was when I was fitting my 'Jean' outfit to the model. It wasn't until the whole outfit was put together that I realised it just looked too much ! The outfit consisited of a waisted jacket, a top with a tie/scarf and a high-waisted skirt. The pieces on their own are great but with all of it together, it just didn't look right. I was at the point of "do I just scrap the jacket ?" But I didn't want to because of my hard work that went into constructing the jacket. So we tried other alternatives like the model possibly taking it off as soon as she walks out on the catwalk ? But then I thought maybe she could just carry is out, so that the audience can see that there is a jacket which completes the outfit, instead of not having it at all. I ended up scrapping the tie/scarf from the top because it looked good without it :]

Apart from that, there were no other major alterations that needed to be done, apart from making garments tighterrrrr and more fitted. Overall Im pretty happy with my garments, now all I have to do is get them all completed by next tuesday ! Bring on the next 3 daysssss !!

If You're Not Happy With It...Change It !!

So far I have changed three finished garments because I was not satisfied with the way they looked. They needed something more...

It's sometimes not easy changing the design once its fully completed, cutting into a finished garment can be very nerve racking !

1. Jean Top:

After my top was finished, I thought it looked a bit nannerish (if thats a word). I designed Jean to be the more sophisticated one, but I thought she needed to be a little bit more sexy. I took off the mandarin collar and cut a large key hole out in the front. It comes pretty low down, so I hope the model wearing this has nice boobs ;] hahaha.

The back of the top I didn't change, I was happy with the way it looked, I just finished it off by putting an invisible open ended zip in the back.

The tie now I will just use as a scarf and place it off centre.

2. Lola Bolero:
Once I had finished my bolero, I just thought it looked like it was missing something. The other problem I was having was that the piece of boning wasn't holding up the ruffle at the back. Because the bolero has no closure, it sits fairly loose on the body, unless the model is holding the front of the bolero while she walks, the ruffle will fall down. I decided to add some tulle and netting, which will correspond back with some other pieces in my range.

I am so much happier with the bolero now :]]] and the ruffle stays up on its own.

3. Rizzo dress:

In the same instance as my bolero, the ruffle on my dress was having some difficulty. So I decided to add some tulle and netting aswell ! Unfortunately I forgot to take a picture before I had started, so here is a picture of my toile before.

I haven't prick stitched my ruffle yet, so it will sit better once I have done this...

P.S. These manniquins do NOTHING for my garments, so please forgive this, haha.

Got My Fabric Labels !!

The other day Lani de Beer and I took a drive to 'Embroid Me' on Main North Road to order our woven labels for our garments. They were made within four business days which was fantastic ! The overall designs they had were pretty basic. Prior to getting these woven labels, I had contacted a company interstate with a design that I would like for my 'Miss Meg' range. But it's quite expensive to buy this year, so I will look into getting them made up next year when I have some money ;]

From 'Embroid Me' they come in groups of a dozen which is great if you're only after a few. They work out to be about $2.00 each where as if you were to get them in bulk interstate they work out to be about 50c each, but their minimum is about 100. So for now, these woven labels will do just fine !!

Here is a pic of my labels :]]

Stressed Yet ?

So during the week, we got our running order for the parade !!

My outfits will be coming out 5th which I'm happy with. Lani's lingerie will be coming out first which she is so pleased about. She was worried about the girls ripping their stockings in the short change time, so this way they will have them on ready to go :]

50% of our garments were due on friday the 22nd. My 6 garments were completed which was a relief, so I just have to finish the other half off this week for fittings on thursday afternoon ! They are all in progress and a few close to finishing, I have high hopes of finishing them all by the due date which is next friday !! I really hope I don't have to make too many alterations, but I am prepared as I have left the seam open in my linings to go back in.

I think I have been very productive with my sewing and am sooooo thankful for my industrial sewing machine at home ! Thankyou tax man for helping me get one, I don't know what I would have done without it these last couple of months. See my view out my window in the picture below...its getting harder and harder as the weather gets warmer to stay sitting there. I am actually quite glad the weather has been cold and wet the last couple of months, it makes me more motivated to stay in and work, hahaha. I just keep telling myself 'two more weeks, two more weeks' then I can be out in the sun all I want ! :]]]]

The last couple of weeks have been very stressful and its not going to get any better I can tell ! haha. Lucky for us we have an amazing student, Alex, with amazing friends who work for Red Bull !! So they wondered in off the streets to offer us all an icey cold can of Red Bull to give us a bit of a sugar boost. If you ask me, I think it would be a good idea if they were to come in every day for the next two weeks ;] hahahaha

Well thats a bit of an update for now, but I better get back to sewing ;]

Fabric Dilemmas Can Happen !

I thought I'd tell you about my fabric dilemma because IT CAN HAPPEN and I am glad it came about because you learn from your mistakes !

Majority of the fabric I am using for my collection is Stretch Cotton Sateen. I honestly didn't even think about the chance of a specific colour running out, I thought this type of fabric was commonly stocked on a regular basis. But no, like any other fabric Meg, it can run out !

So not realising, I used quite a bit of my black Cotton Sateen for my birthday dress back in July. When I went into purchase some more from Spotlight Noarlunga, they had no black !!!! I did have a little heart attack, but was reassured because there are other Spotlights in Adelaide.

Over the next week I went into the City Spotlight, I picked up what I thought was the fabric, as it was under the sign and was with all the other Stretch Cotton Sateen's. I didn't think to look at the label. So I washed it because it is a cotton and when I went to cut it out, I thought to myself that it looked a bit weird. Not as sheen as the other colours I have. I cut out my patterns for one of my tops, but the fabric was worrying me as it didn't look like the others. I got my receipt out to find that I had just bought 5 meters of Stretch Poplin ! They obviously accidently put the roll of fabric in the wrong place. So not only did I just waste money, I also didn't have the right fabric.

I then went into the Melrose Park Spotlight and they didn't have black of course ! By this time I had tried three Spotlight stores and none of them had black, eeeep ! So at this point I was really worried.

I called DK Fabrics and they didn't have any either...

I didn't want to call the Fabric Agent because my last experience with him was unfortunate as the company he went through was rather unreliable.

My other option was to contact a friend of mine who owns her own label. She didn't have much black left as she had just created a collection of her own.

I ended up calling the Spotlight Hotline and they said it could take up to two weeks to arrive. But they did inform me that Spotlight in Mount Barker had some. I was a bit hindered in going all the way there, as it would be a minimum 45minute drive. But I did really need this fabric ! I triple checked that they had it, I called them and got her to repeat the fabric to me over the phone about three times, haha. But it was definitely it. Luckily it was a beautiful day, so the drive there was actually really nice.

But long story short, make sure you are organised at least a month ahead so that if you are low on your fabric you have enough time for it to be ordered in. It's just a chance you can't afford to take.

I am just relieved that I got the fabric ! haha

All In A Nut Shell - Me & My Range

So this blog update is pretty much everything in a nut shell (unless I have forgotten something), all about me, myself and I.....Oh and my range of course ;]

A few Q's and A's for you...

1. What made you want to study Fashion Design ?
I first started sewing in Year 8 at Hallett Cove R-12 School. I chose 'Clothing and Textiles' up until Year 11 as it didn't go into Year 12. But, our dedicated class had enough people wanting to do it, that they made it a Year 12 Subject !! GO US !! While I was in Year 12, the Year 11 class went on a Class Trip to Marleston Tafe where you can study Fashion Design. It opened a new door of opportunity for me, as I didn't know what I wanted to pursue after high school. I always had an interested in Fashion and the process of how garments were made. I then went on to applying for the course and was lucky enough to get in !

Three years later and I'm ready to take a step into the big wide world of Fashion. I just love the feeling of people wanting to buy and wear my clothes. It gives me the sense of satisfaction especially when they're so excited to wear it. I now know the complexity of what it takes to turn an image into a wearable garment and now appreciate the effort it takes. Here is an example: my Corel drawing of my 'Woollen Mermaids' bathers I designed at tafe the beginning of the year for The Exposed Swimwear Exhibition.

I know look at clothes a different way, a way that most people don't. Other people might look at a garment and think 'Oh that's pretty', while I'll look at the way it was constructed, the way it sits and feels. I am so much more observant with clothes now.

2. Describe your Collection

Miss Meg by Megan Leigh is a slightly modern Dressy Daywear Collection inspired by the rebellious young women of the 50's. My feminine label is conservative but with an edge. It embraces a women's curves by being sexy and slim fitting, while still being conventional. Having a 50's edge gives the clothing a unique sense of style in a way that will make any woman feel confident and stand out from the crowd.

Here are my Corel drawings of my collection and fabric samples underneath. I have made a few changes to the designs since these, which you will see in the parade. Majority of my fabric is Stretch Cotton Sateen as this will just sculpt the body so well. I also have a Knit in there which I have used for Madeline, my Coat Dress. The fabric is just so amazing, it looks like a wet leather/vinyl, but is soft to the touch. I did have to fuse the fabric to make it look stronger/stiffer, because it is a knit. I also used Chiffon for my top for Jean, my second love is animal print and as soon as I saw the tiger/zebra stripe, which ever you'd prefer, I just fell in love with it ! Animal print had to be in my range somewhere !

3. Do you have a fave piece ?

I most certainly do have a fave piece ! And it is Madeline. 'She' is a coat dress which is fitted and excel's out from the hips into a dome shape. It has many layers of netting sewn to an under skirt to make it keep its shape. You can see her slightly in the background of this picture below of me working in my room. Why spend over $150 to purchase an under skirt which has no way near enough netting or tulle on it, when you can make your own...I am quite proud of my skirt actually ;]

My finished product !

We also did a photo shoot the other week using Madeline with a very talented photography student from the Arts Tafe - Megan Mackenzie and a beautiful model from Finesse Modelling Agency - Lucy Harrison. The photos turned out amazing, but we're still waiting on approval to use the images on websites, so unfortunately I can't put it up just yet.

4. What inspires you ?
50's style inspires me ! I just love the sexiness and edginess it has. The hair, the shoes, the people from the era such as Marilyn Monroe and Betty Rizzo aka. Stockard Channing (who grew up in this era). Dita Von Tease who is just so sexy and seductive and Christina Aguilera, these two are the modern day woman "from the 50's".

I love girls and guys who dress in 50's wear on an everyday basis, I would just love to pull that off ! The effort they go through doing their hair and make-up, it's just so worth it !

On the weekend I went to 'The First Annual Rockabilly Rumble' in Adelaide and everyone just looked fantastic ! Here are some pics of some beautiful dolls.

5. Style muse/s

My main Muse would have to be the beautiful Christina Aguilera. She is my main inspiration as she is what I call the Modern Day 50's Woman. Just because of the way she portrays herself. Her music video 'Candy Man' inspires me the most ! Here are a few pics from her clip.

6. Who would you like to see wearing your designs ?

I would love all of the women I mentioned above wearing my clothes ! But I honestly would just love anyone wearing them, the satisfaction of having someone want to buy and wear my clothes is amazing ! When I see a model walking down the catwalk wearing something I have made, I feel like I have accomplished what I have studied three years for !

If you are interested in seeing other garments I have created here is my facebook link www.facebook.com/meganleighdesigns. Please feel free to take a gander ! Thanks ! :]