The Asockalypse has arrived!
The rather spiffy new online sock and stocking shop can fulfil all your alternative leg coverage needs, and I was lucky enough to model for them!
Head over to their store and see if you can find my legs, and find some awesome socks while you’re there…
Photographs by the lovely Jess of Jess Manning Photography.
Hello and good evening!
As some of you may know, I am a Nocturne Girl for Nocturne Magazine. Early this year we shot the Goddess Project – each Nocturne Girl representing a goddess in a shoot destined for Issue Five of the magazine.
I chose to depict Nemesis.
Since Issue Five has now been released in all its obscure, artistic splendour, I can now share my photos with you!
Vengeful and remorseless, Nemesis was a Greek goddess. As the spirit of divine retribution she balanced the happiness and sadness of men, and punished those guilty of hubris. Derived from the Greek word ‘nemein’ , her name means ‘to give what is due’. A chilling thought for those who had offended the gods….
The idea for my photo set was to depict the goddess is a modern time, holding onto her old ways. In a time when natural disasters are affecting so many it seemed appropriate to choose a coastal urban location.
When designing the gown for Nemesis I wanted something fluid and dramatic, with Grecian references in the styling. Heavy jewellery was a must, and MUA extraordinaire Pearl DuNasemant did an incredible job of working chains and hair extensions into a goddess-like updo, tousled from centuries of smiting! Visit the Cog & Compass Facebook page to see some preliminary sketches.
Like most of my photo shoots, I couldn’t have pulled it off without my mum Dianne and my Everpatient Husband James, especially seeing as my arm had just come out of a ROM brace!
I really do appreciate the late night cups of tea, taxi services and putting up with my fabric all over the house haha. Behind every creative person is a very patient person with a broom and a reality check!
All photos are by Meagan Kerr Photography. Meagan is great to work with, really down to earth (and she’ll wait while I eat my chocolate bars)!
Visit the gorgeous new Nocturne Magazine website to view the Goddess Project in it’s entirety. (May as well grab a digital copy of the magazine while you’re there, it’s super affordable!).
So often my designs are inspired by words. A paragraph, a single sentence, the shortest heartfelt lyric. Left to stew in my mind these can blossom into a concept or character, just waiting to be tweaked and evolved by pencil on paper.
My favourite creation was one such idea, inspired by Edgar Allen Poe’s masterpiece ‘The Raven‘ . Verses seven and eight in particluar…
The description of the raven as stately and beguiling lead me on a path. Were the ravens intentions good or ill? Was it simply the puppet of someone behind the scenes, hoping to drive Poe to madness?
After tons of research and development, these questions lead to “The Raven Mistress”. This gown is a dark, dramatic representation of Poe’s Raven, and its ability to hide its true nature and intentions behind a beguiling facade. I explored themes including the power and decadence of high social status and manipulation through beauty.
One of the mood boards I created during the design process.
I sketched pages and pages of concepts before the final design was developed.
The Raven Mistress is a gown of raw black silk, overlayed with fine net. I sewed much of the gown by hand, using couture construction techniques. Even the huge hemline was handsewn (and what an undertaking that was!).
The velvet bodice is embellished with hand woven beaded feathers. I crafted each of these to a specific size and combination of white, silver and black Japanese glass beads to create the gradient of colour through the bodice, before individually sewing them in place. Hundreds of hours went into this process, leaving me almost as mad as Poe by the end!
More net flows elegantly from the shoulders, blending with the overlay of the gown to create layers of shifting black over the shine and texture of the silk. Long strands of faceted glass beads loop to the wrists and down the gowns train, creating a stylised Raven wings and tail.
Words can lead to things we never imagined, so go forth my friends, and read! ( I’m not suggesting you become obsessed and dedicate a few months of your life to one dress, but a smaller project could be just as enjoyable, and somewhat better for your health.)
If you’d like to explore more of Poe’s work this website is very helpful, even providing a list of Edgar’s more uncommon vocabulary with definitions.
Remember that steampunk wedding shoot my Everpatient Husband and I worked on? Remember how I promised to share the video with you?
Well here it is, for your viewing pleasure, direct from the maker himself (my Everpatient Husband, James).
Click the image below to be taken to the youtube video.
One again, you can visit the Gothic Wedding Planner to see the full photoshoot!
So a wee while ago my friend Steff from the Gothic Wedding Planner sent out the call for a team.
A team so imaginative, so awesome, and so darn clever that they could organise, style, stage and shoot a steampunk wedding on a realistic budget .
I was part of that team.
This is our shoot….
My role in this whimsical venture was as a Stylist (making sure people looked dapper and helping the Artistic Director Andrea arrange the picnic in an appropriately charming manner). The venue was the lovely historic Pumphouse in Takapuna, New Zealand.
I also designed a beautiful custom steampunk ring pillow, which you can covet over here.
Visit the Steff at Gothic Wedding Planner blog to sigh over more amazing photos and check out the team!
(There’s also a luscious video on it’s way, I’ll share it when it’s officially released!)
Ahoy there!
A couple of weeks ago I styled a photo shoot with Steff (of Steff Metal fame) for her Gothic Wedding Planner site. Gothic Wedding Planner helps alternative couples create a day that reflects them. Steff also happens to be a celebrant of unequalled badassity.
Anywho, I like every aspect of an event to be cohesive in style – so I decided to concoct a ring cushion of such steampunk wonderfulness that onlookers would coo with admiration, uttering such comments as ” That’s super rad!”.
The hand embroidered design features clock hands stemming from a cog, with scattered moths and daisies. Industrial yet romantic, and reminiscent of a time gone by.
Warm chocolate and honey tones were my colours of choice, reflecting contemporary steampunk style.
No one seems to agree on the origins of wedding ring pillows. Some say they hark from ancient Egypt, where precious gems were presented on pillows. Some say it comes from the presentation of a coronation crown upon a pillow, leading others to present their most precious gifts, their wedding rings, upon a pillow also.
To be honest I see them as a pretty way of preventing the ring bearer losing the rings!
The first ring pillow I created was my own. With a boisterous three and half year old ring bearer, two rings in a small box seemed to easy to misplace – so I created an oversized ring pillow that suited our J. W Waterhouse influenced wedding.
Sewn from the same pale aqua fabric as my gown, I embroidered it with a motif of two dragonflies embellished with pearls and glass beads.
Two years on from our wedding this pillow sits in my room, a reminder of our day. Which is why I believe it’s all about the details- personalised accessories can make beautiful keepsakes. And you never know, using your one of a kind steampunk ring pillow could become a family tradition!
Hello hello!
Remember my tartan mad photoshoot the other day? Here’s some more photos from it!
In other news, today I received word that I’ve been accepted as a stallholder at an evening market on March 1st. It’s the First Thursdays market – held on the first Thursday evening of the summer months – at St Kevins Arcade in Auckland city. I’m very pleased to be accepted, now to work out the logistics of getting my gear there!
…That’s what I wore today for my photoshoot with Jocelen Janon.
The shoot was for his Alt. Portrait project, capturing members of the alternative community here in New Zealand – first in ‘everyday’ clothes and then in their alternative style or persona. These images may soon become an exhibition displaying the variety and depth of our alternative crowd.
I love tartan, Harajuku style and the dollish innocence and costume of lolita and EGL fashion. With that in mind I wore things that make me happy – a tartan dress, tartan boots, a tartan bag and tartan jewellery. More tartan most people would ever wear (or own) !
Jocelen was lovely to work with, displaying patience, humour and giving very helpful direction. Isis Graywood did a fantastic job of my makeup (She’s also a very talented painter) , and Pearl Dunasement was kind enough to lend me her wig so we didn’t have to do battle with my hair!
Here’s a sneaky teaser image from today…
Photo by Jocelen Janon, Makeup by Isis Graywood.
For more information on Jocelen Janon and his Alt. Portrait project please visit his facebook page or blog.
Hello Hello!
A wee while ago I mentioned a photoshoot had taken place for some of my new designs. Now I have the extreme pleasure of sharing some of the gorgeous images with you! Once again thank you my amazing team from the day, you assistance was invaluable!
My inspiration for these designs included romantic Victorian gentility, the paintings of J. W Waterhouse and Dante Gabriel Rossetti, and the sassy sensuality of South Western steampunk.
Click on the image below to view the full gallery!
Photograph by Richard Leonard Photography
As always, your feedback is hugely appreciated. Do let me know what you think of the designs, and which are your favourite shots!
Hello hello,
My tootsies are so sore this afternoon! That’s okay though, because today I modelled for a Nocturne Magazine photo shoot. By modelled I mean I swanned around, surrounded by gorgeous people in amazing outfits. Tough day right?
I would love to give you details and sneaky peeks of the shoot, but then I’d have to kill you. It’s top secret classified information until the magazine comes out early next year…. the anticipation will make it even better, I swear.
What I can tell you is that historical fashion buffs will swoon over these photos. Photographer Nix and Coordinator Kathryn Hardy-Bernal ( A tutor with encyclopaedic fashion knowledge from AUT University) did an incredible job with the styling and directing. I can’t wait to share it with you when the photos are released!
In the meantime, you can Check out some other beautiful alternative shoots at the Nocturne Magazine and Nocturne Girls pages.
Click image to visit Nocturne Magazine
Click image to visit the Nocturne Girls page
