Cristina is a talented and accomplished felt artist and educator. We are proud to count her among the supporters and enthusiastic users of our Palm Washboard felting tools. Earlier this year, Cristina created felted work for the internationally known Dutch fashion designer Ronald Kolk's haute couture show. The collection was presented in a large runway show in September 2013.
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| Ronald Kolk haute couture. Pavlopetri 2013 Runway show. Photography by Jeroen Snijders. |
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| Ronald Kolk haute couture. Pavlopetri 2013 Runway show. Photography by Jeroen Snijders. |
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| Ronald Kolk haute couture. Pavlopetri 2013 Runway show. Photography by Jeroen Snijders. |
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| Ronald Kolk haute couture. Pavlopetri 2013 Runway show. Photography by Jeroen Snijders. |
As a special treat, we are also delighted to share Cristina's story about this project, her process, and inspiration. Please enjoy! Thank you so much for sharing with us, Cristina, and for being a dear friend of HeartFelt Silks!
HAUTE COUTURE and
HEARTFELT WEARABLES
When the word was
spread that I have been asked to work with Ronald Kolk on his latest
haute couture show, many colleagues/fellow artists congratulated me
and told me they have been dreaming of something like that their
whole life. I never did. Yet I am lucky I got this chance. Not for the glamour
or glitter, which is amusing but not really my cup of tea, but
because working with talented people is extremely inspiring and, in
this case, a true joy.
What I liked the
most about working with Ronald is that he freed me of all
technicalities about making felt. For the first time since I make
felt, I FELT the shift in my own approach to the medium, suddenly
liberated of all technical luggage and ready to just create and
enjoy. Mind you, the
technical aspect being the foundation for all this freedom I felt. I
knew that I could trust my knowledge, the materials I carefully
choose for the collection and rely on a very useful tool, the Palm Washboard, to quickly make little felt samplers to show and discuss.
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| Copyright: Cristina Pacciani |
Besides working on
pieces for the collection, I was personally challenged by Ronald to
make a dress for my daughter and me for the very chic black tie
event. The theme being underwater world, I was lucky as it is perfect
for me: I simply love the sea, its colors, its life. I was ready to dive
into it.
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| Copyright: Cristina Pacciani |
That was a new
experience, making my own gown, as I often work on commission for
others, but had never made anything for myself. For my daughter I
took the trouble to make a sample dress at first, as I had designed a
new pattern and needed to check if it worked first…something I
usually don’t like to do. She wanted to participate in the making
and specifically asked for lots of structures because she loves to use
the Palm Washboard: it gives her a certain warranty that it will felt
well, no matter what. It is easy and fun to work with.
We had much fun
laying out the wool and silk and creating all kinds of surface
decorations in it. The pattern worked just fine and the size was
perfect, so when it was finished, I dyed it into different shades of
greens….well, it turned out just what my daughter wanted, so I
never got to make the real thing.
My dress was a big
challenge: it had a long, wide round skirt and took up to twelve
meters of silk. Again, the Palm Washboard allowed me to work on the surface concentrating on certain
points, keeping sight of the shape without unwanted shrinkage and
constructing an intricate pattern of under the surface designs.
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| Copyright: Cristina Pacciani |
On the night of the
big event, we both felt wonderful in our felt dresses and received
many compliments. The collection has been very well received as well
and since then it’s history. I am still working
on wearables and enjoying the post haute couture inspiration, working
on next year’s collection.
If I have learnt
anything from this experience (and I think it was very meaningful) I
would say that, as we all know, the beauty of a woman is not in the
clothes she wears, so when designing clothes I keep comfort and
colors in mind, aware that the only real elegance is in the heart."
We are honored to know you, Cristina, and we are grateful to be part of your story. Congratulations on all your successes, and we wish you many more! -- Robbin and Harry Firth, HeartFelt Silks
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| Copyright: Cristina Pacciani |
