Hello to all!
I've been rather busy with college as of late and therefore, as usual I've had to put my personal sewing on hold...if you've been following my blog for awhile you're probably aware of my mini-hiatuses!
Well in an effort to have more content and purpose for my blog, I've decided to participate in a Lolita blogger group on Facebook called
Lolita Blog Carnival and I wanted to finally participate in a blog topic!
3 Prints I Would Like to See in Lolita Fashion
In the recent years of lolita fashion, the style has become highly print driven, and though the lolita I fell in love with circa say 5-6 years ago was based on intricate lace details, elegant tailoring, and decadent embellishments, I did find that I grew to love prints just as much.
But what types of prints you may ask?
Well, my aesthetics lean toward that of Classical and Gothic for the most part. My love for sweet is highly lacking, and I really dislike sweets or food prints, glitter, cotton candy and related things, at least on myself and what type of lolita garments I like to sew. I think they are cute yes, but just not for me.
So in stating this, let me begin with one of my highest dreams and number one desire in terms of a print on a lolita garment.
BYZANTINE ART AND ARCHITECTURE
 |
| I really love the colors in this ceiling painting. |
You must be thinking this is highly peculiar or you might be saying to yourself "Omg I want the same thing!" I've only encountered a couple lolitas who shared my dreams. I'm not highly religious myself, but I do love religious art of all types, especially Christian iconography.
My Virgin of Guadeloupe JSK that I made last year was an example of my love for religious prints in lolita fashion, so you can see where this sort of stems from.
I've been searching everywhere for Byzantine art on fabrics, or even Byzantine inspired, but I haven't come up with anything of good use.
It's also rather difficult to find large and clear images of the artwork I like best (I don't like ALL Byzantine art mind you, a lot of it is very corroded from age or not very appealing).
The styles of this era's art I'm most fond of are images of Saints or Angels, the Holy Mother, and any that involve gilding.
One day I will like to try to possibly get my own fabric printed using Byzantine or Byzantine inspired art, I can already visualize the skirt or JSK I would love to make out of it! If I can't find a large enough image, I'll definitely put the Photoshop skills I learned in college to good use making my own print design. It will be very intensive work, but I think I'm up to the challenge!
MEDIEVAL TAPESTRIES
Tapestry fabrics have been used in lolita fashion to some extent, I believe Julliete et Justine, Metamorphose, Victorian Maiden, and Innocent World have used it in the past (reffered to as Gobelin prints), but I've never seen a specific medieval styled portrait used as a large all over woven print. I would absolutely adore that.
At the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Cloisters Museum here in NYC, there are some amazing tapestries that when I look at them I just die to have them in garment form. There's just something about wearing classical artwork that makes me so happy inside.
I love the intricacy of medieval tapestries, with the years and years it took for many of them to be completed. I revere these artisans deeply for their dedication and hard work!
I dream to find a fabric reproduction of any of the famous tapestries, preferably a woven fabric and not a tapestry print printed onto plain fabric. I could only imagine how expensive that fabric could be but in my opinion it would be well worth it!
ART BY IVAN BILIBIN
I came across this artist one day when looking for inspiration for a Fashion Art Knitwear assignment I had about a year ago. I believe I typed in "folklore art" or something a long those lines and this artist came up and in an instant I was in love with his work!
He's a Late 19th - Early 20th century artist, and I love how you can see the bridging between historical classicism and modern illustration. I think it would be lovely to see a border print of his different folkloric scenes around the hem of a skirt or dress. I may attempt to create this one of these days as well and have it printed for personal use.
I also think his art would be highly appropriate for Dolly Kei garments as well, or hybrid coordinates with lolita (because man do I love combining styles!) Come to think of it, all of these prints can bridge between various alternative fashion looks.
I also thought I'd end with discussing some things that some of the brands have done in terms of prints that I've dreamed of that surprisingly became reality and that I would love to see even more of.
Number 1: Julliete et Justine Painting Prints
When this trend first came out, it was love at first sight for me, and the more and more they released them, the more I became enamored. These dresses are all just stunning. I'd been dreaming of such things for years and they finally made it happen. I'd have to say I'm jealous that they beat me to the punch!
I don't own any of them myself, but I would love to get my hands on some painting print fabrics to do my own magic with. I find that so much more appealing as a seamstress and all! There are countless works of art that I love that are just begging to be worn!
Number 2: Stained Glass Prints
Stained glass windows have always been simply amazing to me. I was just getting into lolita when this Baby, the Stars Shine Bright print had been released, and I can safely say this print (and Paris Windows, ironically also a window print, and one dream dress that I happily own) made me love prints in lolita fashion.
It's also a dream for me to come across fabric with or print my own stained glass window print.
Number 3: Gothic Architecture
Moitie definitely has a handle on this category, but they aren't the only ones! There's Alice and the Pirates's St. Metiphizo Cathedral print, and a couple others, that one being my favorite. I feel like there was another brand that did this, but I can't put my finger on it right now!
But all I can say is more more more! I love Gothic Cathedrals, Iron Gates, Gothic Arches, Mausoleums, Gothic Altars, everything you can imagine! Again I don't own any of these, especially not Moitie which is well out of my budget and always has been, but if one day I can design my own print, I will definitely get on that!
As you probably realize, I have a lot of prints to design and fabric to have printed. Hopefully I can make all these dreams a reality once I finish college and start up my Indie Brand (more on that later, I realize I never discussed that here, it's still in dream stage, but that's something!)
And so that's about it for this post! I hope you enjoyed it. Do comment and tell me your thoughts!
There are other members participating in this post too! Do visit their blogs and check out their posts! This list will be updated throughout the day!
