Sunday 9 June 2013

High Summer 2014 - Catalogue Shoot

Our high summer collection has been in the works for some time now, and we are super excited to bring you a sneak peek from the look book shoot we did a few weeks back.

Shot on location in Melbourne, we have captured the spirit on sun drenched lazy days, and the essence of a woman who has traveled to exotic locales. She is bold, care free yet with a delicate and feminine soul.

The collection will be available for pre-order very soon, for our loyal VIP customers!
to find out more, email us at info@designbyjude.com

We simply cannot wait to bring you our debut full collection this summer!







Monday 20 May 2013

JUDE Accessories 2013: In The Making

JUDE has recently launched our first full collection of fashion accessories, available now at our online store.
We debuted the collection at the Finders Keepers design market and received a fantastic response.

Many of the people were intrigued by how the collection was made, the inspiration behind it, but most of all the interesting techniques which go into the making of such a unique and special product.

We have decided to put together a mini booklet titled "In The Making", which explains the traditional artisan techniques used to produce the current collection. From hand stitching, painting and beading on leather, to the use of exotic trims, feathers and stones. What makes the product so special is how the techniques are combined in an unexpected way to make it contemporary and fresh.















Friday 12 April 2013

Lady Scissorhands - Couture Jacket and Skirt

One of my biggest projects to date, and my favourite piece of work so far, the Lady Scissorhands avant garde ensemble became a real labour of love for me. I worked on the project over a period of 3 months, from concept to design, pattern making and final construction.

The most complex piece of work I have completed to date, including close to 80 pattern pieces, detailed fabric overlays and hours of hand embellishment. I really wanted to challenge myself and be able to elevate a piece of clothing to a couture level of technique and construction.

I had entered the outfit in  a few design competitions and gained some publicity on the project, however it was a sense of personal accomplishment and the different techniques and skills I learnt which were the most valuable.

Here I will take you through some of the processes in the project.

Some of the initial inspiration included Edward Scissorhands, Medieval armour & architecture and 80's punk. I was also influenced by the sharp edged construction of designers in the 80s like Mugler and Montana.








Technical sketches of the final design, a jacket and skirt ensemble.




Some of the fabrics chosen, including a wool/lurex boucle, silk dupion lining and cotton/lurex lace overlay.




The first toile or sample of the ensemble.



An editorial shoot of the final product.










Behind the scenes shots of a shoot for the Herald Sun.





















Sunday 3 March 2013

Nobody Denim Project

As part of our final year project, we were assigned to create a capsule range for Australian denim label, NOBODY, based around the idea of "Corruption of Purity". We were able to interpret the theme in any way we wanted and create a collection around the Nobody aesthetic.

This was an exciting project for me, as it was my first time creating a street wear collection, and also first time working with denim. I saw endless possibilities with this base fabric.

My take on the theme was to work around the idea of the Madonna-whore complex. I created a collection which juxtaposed hard edged lines and shapes, with more flowing and organic forms.

I describe the whole process in this post, from inspiration, to sketches and final garment.



Initial inspiration & moodboard images. One of them from my favourite artist Pierre Et Gilles.


A campaign image from the previous collection by Nobody. I love the raw patchwork & deconstructed collar detail. 


My final moodboard image. An illustration I created using pencil on paper.

Below are my final set of sketches for the 4 looks I had to create for the capsule collection.




 Above is a sketch of the look I chose to construct. An assymetric knit top, paired with a paneled vest and skinny leg jeans with inset leather panels.





Below are my final technical sketches for the 3 piece look, including final fabric choices.






Patternmaking & construction - The fun / challenging part of the process which causes many sleepless nights!

Here you can see the vest, which is the most complicated piece in the look, in the toile stages. 
As with most assymetrical designs, the most challenging part was getting the fit and proportion just right. 
The collar which sits on an angle and is bigger on one side was also tricky to figure out.



Multiple panels in the back of the vest - any patternmaker's/ seamstress's nightmare!
You will see later that I have contrasted the denim with inset leather panels.




And Finally! It always feels worthwhile when the final product comes together in the end. 
Here are some shots I did of the whole look put together.