GONE NOW THANK YOU
I do actually have some dressier fabrics I want to list but I’ve struggled to get to them. This one is as good as any to start with. Actually, it is stupendous!
Why is that? It is a couture-worthy fabric from one of the top French design houses. I have lovingly stored this fabric for at least 20 years now I think, so it qualifies as a true vintage in fabric terms (not human terms!).
THIS FABRIC IS GONE NOW THANKS
Ikat prints have an enduring popularity and when they are the combination of classic but edgy like this print on offer, even better.
GONE NOW THANK YOU
I bought this length of brilliant tweed boucle wool in Florence quite a few years ago. It has been lovingly packed away in tissue and wrapped up carefully, but now the time has come to see if someone else might like to give it a home.
Will need to check whether or not I still have this.
It might be winter but the warmer months will be upon us again in no time so there is time to ponder what to make with this most perfect of fabrics.
I have hoarded this one for years, always imagining a loose and floaty top taking strong inspiration from the wonderful things that Easton Pears0n confect into life. But there is plenty of yardage for other things too.
GONE
This fabric – the one on the left in this image – is a lovely woollen blend fabric from the studio of my favourite local designer who is sadly now winding down her business.
Readers of this website will know that I have picked up some really beautiful fabrics from this studio. In fact, I understand some shopping may have been done today at one of her very last fabric sales. Good thing I didn’t know about it. I might have shopped for more fabric for the sake of nostalgia. Go figure.
GONE THANKS
This lovely silk is a painterly study in blues, from the deep indigo of the foliage and trees at the bottom of the panel to the powder blue of the distant sky and then back to deeper blues of the canopy.
FABRIC IS GONE NOW THANKS
A billion $ fashion house built on a chevron pattern, that’s the genius of Miss0ni. They have absolutely made the chevron pattern their own and all other designers who use the chevron are mere pretenders.
In this piece, the chevron is a small-scale one. And how’s this exquisite colourway?!
They honestly blend colours like few others. If you are a knitter, you might know the Noro yarns and that colour mastery. Miss0ni and Noro are counterparts I think.
GONE THANKS
Silk perfection, that’s the only way to describe this piece…
The perfect weight and drape, the perfect length and a great print and price…
GONE NOW THANKS
Bumping this fabric up again — a gorgeous M@rc J fabric at a bargain price! Such a pretty fabric, a bit hippie…neat rows of serrated edge flowers in saturated blues, purples and pinks.
Heads-up…I’m going to be listing a lot of Liberty Art fabrics, hopefully this Friday. I’ll price them at around $30 a metre I think and I have 10+ to put up. Until they go up, here’s another great video featuring the design work of the Liberty Art print team.
GONE NOW THANKS
Now here is an understated beauty of a silk, perfect if you want something a little bit dressier or ‘special occasion’ but want to keep things not too formal.
That is to say, you could do a relaxed top or shift in this fabric, nothing too elaborate, and the lovely luminous glow to this silk organza makes it that bit more special. See some of the tops below. Continue reading
Another wonderful Dior film. The work behind some of these clothes is extraordinary.
GONE THANKS
Now for a simple classic fabric – fabulous quality linen/cotton in sandwashed powder blue colour.
I’m transfixed watching these videos showing the haute couture sewing techniques…this one from the house of Chanel for the Spring-Summer 2015 collection from just a short time ago.
The video on the fittings for this haute couture show and the show itself follow here…
Ever wondered what the best Italian fabric mills look like? J Crew took a trip…
Some of you will know that it has been a very up and down couple of months here, but one of the “ups”…and it is a very big “up”…was a dear friend returning from rummages through designer recycle stores in the US with this amazing Chloe jacket just for me.
I gasped! I’m afraid true designer pieces are not in my budget (well, maybe if I hadn’t spent so much money on fabric), especially iconic jackets like this one.
This jacket is from a Phoebe Philo collection for Chloe. She produced fantastic, really imaginative garments and truly embraced the demi-couture idea I think. (I showed another Chloe jacket from this collection earlier in the blog too). A close-up examination of this jacket will show you just why that description is so apt…and designer prices can sometimes be appreciated! Continue reading
GONE NOW THANKS
This fabric is seriously the softest silk I have ever come across in my lifetime of scouring for fabrics. I have no idea how such soft silk came to be and why I haven’t seen more of it. I’d love to know the provenance of this piece, that’s for sure.
I’m taking some photos of fabrics as I go along and posting to instagram now. If you want to follow, just click the insta icon/link on the right sidebar. Also, for those who don’t know, I also provide updates on my Facebook page, link also at the right sidebar.
The demands on fashion houses are so great now…many collections to design and fashion shows to present (resort and pre-fall shows now in the calendar too) and much higher expectations about the collection promos. Now films are a big part of package. Here is a charming video for Stella McCartney’s summer collection.
I love these dresses she did with the collage of different prints.
And the choice of music is interesting too…no surprises I guess… Continue reading
No-one can throw prints together as well as Lucinda Chambers, hailed as one of the world’s great fashion editors and stylists. And her Vogue editorials, in the decades since Lucinda became fashion director of British Vogue…well, all of them are admired but some have been elevated to the truly iconic status.
GONE NOW, MANY THANKS
There’s no end of inspiration for a lovely striped fabric and the runways especially have been bursting with stripes.
The magazine fashion editorials feature one page turn after another of stripes in all imaginable manifestations. Continue reading
GONE NOW THANK YOU
Time for another stretch fabric, this one a bold but balanced print featuring paisley and medallion outlines on a dark blue background.
I’m sure that being an enfant terrible was the essence of his genius, the great genius of his fashion generation. I’m fascinated in the stories about how he could cut the most complex patterns freestyle, direct on the dress form; a legacy, no doubt, of his Savile Row days.
Who would ever have thought that Sarah Burton could carry on so remarkably the McQueen aesthetic: audacious, fashion as art, technically fearless, frequently menacing, disconcerting and exquisite in the same garment, always triumphant.
All the things these next backstage videos of McQueen runway shows capture in fine detail. Click continue…
ALL GONE, THANK YOU
Now this fabric is a wildly popular M@rc Jac0bs daisy cotton from a few seasons back.
Jacobs built a whole range around variations on this print but I think the grey tonal prints are among the nicest of the collection. Continue reading
GONE, THANK YOU
Milly does THE best prints and this tri-colour (off-white, grey and deep navy) doves silk is right up there as one of my favourites. I went searching for this fabric and was very happy when I found it.
I have had a number of people ask about decent dress-lengths of good silks and this one fits that bill. Continue reading
NOW GONE, THANKS
The most exceptional digital prints have emerged in the last few years hot on the heels of the works of designers like Mary Katrantzou – the absolute star of digital design – and Peter Pilotto. I can’t attribute this fabric to a particular designer but I understand that this print is from the Italian mills.
NOW SOLD, THANKS
Rolling along here, now giving a crisp cotton tribal print an outing.
GONE, THANKS
This lovely fabric ticks all the boxes – a real quality fabric, singing colours that will take the Australian light beautifully, super-easy easy to handle and sew…
GONE NOW THANKS
Ok, finally, here is the very gorgeous H@ute Hippie silk georgette I popped up on my fabric Facebook page a few weeks back.
(Seriously, it has been just so busy, with hardly a chance to turn sideways let alone do these posts, so thanks for sticking with me during this irregular posting period). Continue reading
FABRIC IS GONE, THANKS
I have many, many pieces of lovely silk in just the right length for floaty tops or perky blouses. This silk fits both the fun and classic mould at the same time.
And, it will match everything… Continue reading
GONE, THANK YOU
If I am fanatical about the fabrics of any one designer in particular, it would have to be Giorgio Armani. He sources only the best wools, the best silks, the best blends such as linen/viscose mixes. And true to form, this silk is just stunning…
The design is just a dream and the silk is so, so beautiful. Continue reading
GONE NOW, MANY THANKS
There’s always something a bit uplifting about running your eyes over a Missoni fabric I think. The colours are so happy and joyous and singing together in harmony. And even those who may prefer the most monotone palettes will still be pleased with Missoni colours.
This one is a viscose/wool blend fabric. Continue reading
I debated whether I should title this post part 2 in the demi-couture series (such as it is…which is coming along slowly!) or if I should kick off a new ’embellishment’ theme.
Demi-couture would normally be understood to involve a lot of handiwork in the garment construction, not just the embellishment of the final piece. Continue reading
GONE NOW, MANY THANKS
Just because I am offering up a lot of fabrics it doesn’t mean that I don’t love them. This is one of the very loved one – it is a superb quality silk, the print design is perfect, classic but modern, the colours are versatile. It is a great piece.
GONE NOW, THANKS VERY MUCH
There is a story to this fabric, and a few people can probably tell the same tale. 
Continue reading
The fabric just posted made me think of Dries Van Noten. He loves these dense and rich textures and has come up with some exquisite fabrics and designs over the years.
ALL SPOKEN FOR NOW, THANK YOU.
Now for a classic black and white fabric with an nice modern and clean graphic.
This is a medium/suiting weight fabric. The bonus is that it is completely reversible, with the black emphasis on one side and white on the other. Continue reading
GONE NOW THANK YOU
This is an amazing fabric. First, it is a hammered silk, and you don’t see this type of silk often at all.
Second, it is superb quality. The weight and drape is sublime. Third, the print itself is gorgeously intense with shades of deep cobalt, fire engine red and poinsettia submerged in shadows.
This fabric is something really very special. In fact I can’t recall seeing a fabric quite like this before.
GONE THANKS
I listed half of this fabric before, kept half back, but honestly, I am not sewing at all so this piece will surely have a better home than mine. It has been a while since I have made a Ch@nel-type jacket, but this fabric is just calling out to become one now. And it must have fringing.
The basic weave here is a rough-hewn effect black and white threaded weave and warp. Over the top, thicker off-white threads have been woven through. The effect is to make the fabric lighter rather than darker but still maintaining the classic black and white thing. Continue reading
GONE NOW THANKS
Ok, I really love this Milly print. I spotted it sitting high up on the top row of a wall full of fabrics in a tiny NYC garment district shop. Couldn’t touch it, couldn’t even see closely, but something about it called out to me.
When they finally got the bolt down for me, I swooned.
GONE, MANY THANKS
There is such an enchanting level of detail in this lovely little silk and I’m absolutely positive the print was inspired by millefiori glass work.
GONE THANKS
I’ve made a point of collecting Milly fabrics where I can. The prints are always engaging, the quality is fantastic, and if you can located the original garment then there’s good inspiration for your own ideas.
GONE, THANK YOU
This classic colour scheme of white, black and grey is made modern by the irregular cross-hatch pattern, looking like a graphic urban landscape.
ALL GONE NOW, MANY THANKS
My last piece on offer now.
Well, I’ve just set the scene for Chl0e in the post underneath this one (now further down in this blog). This particular cotton is from one of Chl0e’s best collections and made runway appearances as these dresses and tops.
The time has come, finally, to relinquish this Roberto C@valli silk beauty that has had a prized place in my fabric stash for quite a while now.
Nothing I say, and none of the images, will be adequate enough to really communicate how stunning this fabric is. I can but try. Continue reading
GONE, THANKS
You could learn a lot about botany examining this lovely cotton. So many lovely blooms tumble around in a free-fall of flowers.
GONE THANKS
The cooler seasons will be upon us before we know and I for one can’t be happier as I am a true winter lover. I have a very big stash, full stop, and it includes a fair share of woollens and cooler weather fabrics. I do need to cull some, and my Missoni fabrics are amongst them.
I’ve looked and looked at this silk and still remain entirely unsure whether I should describe the pattern as a woodgrain or marbled effect. Maybe it can be both…
NOW GONE, THANK YOU
This was a Milly favourite from a few years back, a fabulous silk that sort of suggests an oriental influence with the print pattern, hence the spider mums reference, but that could be just a rorchach test thing going on.
GONE NOW, THANKS
Moving quite a few more silks along now, including this very excellent silk crepe de chine.
