sapphire blue and silhouette black

This design was for a little black dress plus one accent color. Here are a few photo details of the ensemble shot in her studio, and some notes.

You may notice the Japanese influence. It's there in the almost padded modesty of the smooth, bustier-like bodice, the shape of the dress itself, and the cords. This challenge seemed like the perfect chance to explore that aesthetic.

The dress is flared out in front, and a bubble shape in the back, almost like a bustle. The waistline is raised higher in the back, and the silhouette of the dress shifts, in an unexpected and angular way, from various vantage points. The apostrophe shape of the silhouette is deliberately referenced by the shape of the satin decorative tie in back.

"My goal as a designer was to devise a completely new and interesting silhouette... not a baby doll, not a bubble, but something completely new, and maybe even a little amusing and fun", she begins. 

Strong silhouettes are something she finds intriguing, such as those created by some of her heroes, Charles James; his protege Scaasi; the legendary Balenciaga, and even the arty Japanese designers Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo. Recent examples of innovative silhouettes of a European origin can be found in the Fall 2007 Lanvin collection, among others.

"Clean and simple was my goal, with the girlish accessories adding to a kind of demure look," she explains. "I wanted her shoulders to show, but I didn't want the look to be at all sexy in any conventional way."

The sapphire blue is a great color with black, neither too much nor too little in its proportion. It's a color that lends itself to jewel-like decorative usage, especially in the chosen silk. Accessories are her original designs and creations: purse, headband, earrings, and wristwatch. She added embellishments to basic shoes. 

In keeping with the dress, these accessories are modern, with refinement yet not too fussy. 

The designer wishes to thank Mattel for their lovely Silkstone Barbie doll who graciously modelled "The Ink Dark Moon."

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