Emilia Nieminen
Challenge One
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Challenge Two
I chose a pair of sexy laced up pink/black FR shoes that reminded me of burlesque and Dita von Teese. The outfit is corsetry inspired cross between a business suit and a dress, made from armani silk/wool mix, embellished with black faux leather and lined and laced with hot pink. Dita completes her look with a vintage fur "fox" stole (made from my grandmother's old fur collar), fishnet stockings, driver's gloves and a "Costume National Butterfly bag" in matching colours.
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Challenge Three
"I love excess of details yet I naturally lean towards simplicity. If I think of embellishments it is Eiko Ishioka who first comes to my mind. It was Eiko's designs that got me interested in the fashion world in the first place so I wanted to make something very couture as a tribute to her strange and inspiring work. This is an evening gown inspired by the legend of the fierce Amazon warrior women who cut off one breast to improve their archery. I wanted to contrast draped silk chiffon with armoury like sequin embellishments playing with sheer and texture. The gown is completed with high heel gladiator sandals, matched with an ornamental bow instead of a purse and a selection of exotic golden jewellery. My model is Tonner's Antoinette."
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Challenge Four
For me Alexander McQueen means exaggeration of form, extravagant patterns and texture, constraint, killer shoes and hats. I made a chic raw silk autumn jacket with exaggerated shawl collar and trumpet sleeves. The jacket is matched with a tulip skirt made of patterned silk with a rich lining of silk siphon ruffles and a pair of silk stockings. The burgundy and green outfit is styled for runway with some kinky accessories including a pair of Nina Ricci inspired shoes with pools of blood for soles (its Halloween after all) and a metamorphosis between purse and gloves with an air of shackles chained to a leather collar. Finally the whole thing is topped with a top hat with green rosette and iridescent feathers.
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Challenge Five
My red carpet gown is a bold and modern statement in a form of a asymmetrical dress that wraps the model in extravagant silk patterned with vogue covers. The dress began with fully white bodice and a fishtail skirt that became partially consumed by the overload of fashion magazines. It symbolises a model as a tabula rasa for a designer, and the immense pressures for stars to make it to the best-dressed-lists and magazine covers. The edge between blank canvas and the print is edged with graphite grey sequins. The metallic grey accessory colour is repeated in the chain jewellery, simple yet elegant leather clutch and the soles of the white platform pumps. I'd like to see this dress on a fresh and brave young star such as Rhianna. My model is Model Behaviour Nadja by Integrity Toys.
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Challenge Six
I wanted to reinvent Audrey's old favourites: the trench coat, black turtleneck and the capri pants. I wanted to modernise the look, but still keep a nice 50´s retro wibe. The idea of this design was to make a transforming travel wardrobe to a person who loves comfort and travels light so there are 3 pieces of clothing that make 4 different outfits. The colour palette is Audrey's favourite black and white, and the simple fashions have those little details that make them chic and special - just the way she liked it. The main piece is a trench coat from white silk dubioni and buttoned with fully functional white shank buttons. The coat can be taken apart to make a cute bolero jacket and a simple classic dress. I wanted to remodel the knit turtleneck, so I cropped out the sleeves to make a halterneck tunic that can be either gathered to the hips with white ribbons or kept loose as a little black dress. The capris have the basic slim fitting 5-pocket-jeans cut and the outfits are completed by Audrey's favourite accessories: a chic purse from La Boutique, ballet flats, a silk scarf, huge FR sunglasses and white gloves with black stitching. It was a real challenge to make fingered gloves in 6th scale, but Poppy Parker is my first doll with parted fingers making it possible to make proper gloves.
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Challenge Seven
For the Mad Men cocktail party I designed a curvy silk brocade sheath with a generous neckline and a matching sash. I chose a colour palette that complimented my model in tones of smoky grey and mustard for that 60's flair. I love the fact that vintage is all about accessories and topped the dress with a luxurious vintage fur fox stole and keeping the rest of the accessories simple black. I made a cute period purse in black leather with matching shoes, a straw pillbox hat, fishnet gloves, patina silver jewellery and as a cherry on the top an elegantly long cigarette holder for smoking those complimentary Lucky Strikes at the cocktail party. My model is an enhanced Sybarite Inque who wears a OOAK 60's style mohair wig made especially for the outfit.
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Challenge Eight