BORDEAUX DREAMS PART I

Photos (clockwise from upper left): Sheerluxe | Mery | TimeOut | Strikes Our Fancy | Renoir | Rothko | The OP Lookbook | The Kiss | Le Moulin de la Galette 
Photo courtesy of Margo & Me. 2015. 

Photo courtesy of Margo & Me. 2015. 

Photo courtesy of Margo & Me. 2015. 

Photo courtesy of Margo & Me. 2015. 

Photo courtesy of Margo & Me. 2015. 

Photo courtesy of Margo & Me. 2015. 

Photo courtesy of Margo & Me. 2015.

Photo courtesy of Margo & Me. 2015.

Illustration by Madalyn Manzeck. 2016. 

Illustration by Madalyn Manzeck. 2016. 

Illustration by Madalyn Manzeck. 2016. 

Illustration by Madalyn Manzeck. 2016. 

Bordeaux dreams is all about the sumptuous, moody colors of fall and the dreamy silhouettes, like floor length satin evening gowns, that make us swoon. This dress was originally designed and constructed to be my bridesmaid dress for my good friend Anna's wedding this past October, but I also wanted a style that was classic, timeless, and it could be worn again and again. 

My main source of silhouette inspiration came from Jenny Cipoletti's rehearsal dinner look that she wore last summer during her wedding festivities in France (Margo & Me). The silhouette was simple, elegant, and timeless. I obviously made some changes to my design but I wanted to capture the overall look and feel of the dress. 

The color inspiration came from Anna's love of a rich bordeaux color that she wanted to incorporate into her wedding through the bridesmaid dresses. I looked to some of my favorite artists such as Mark Rothko, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, and Auguste Rodin for color palette and styling inspiration. I was particularly influenced by Renoir's 20th century women and their black choker necklaces, floor length dresses, and French straw sun hats. Most people think the black choker trend is "so 90s" when in reality French women have been rocking the trend since the mid 1800s. It is a tried and true fashion lesson that nothing is new and EVERYTHING does come back into style! 

Stay tuned for the completed garment look coming this Wednesday! 

xoxo

Madalyn Joy