First Steps

Diary of a Designer Part 1

Congratulations to my amazing client who is getting married in June and trusted me with her vision to make her bridal ensemble. Although designing and creating a custom corset requires many fittings and mock-ups along with numerous trips to fabric and trim stores, the entire process ran very smoothly. It’s such a fun challenge for me as a designer to take on someone’s vision and create something I’ve never created before!

I start off every design project by asking my client for their initial ideas, colors, and/or design direction. In this case, my client had an overall vision of the aesthetic she wanted, and she put together inspiration boards for both the silhouette and colors she liked the best. It’s always exciting for me to see design ideas from others and a great way for me to immediately get started on the next couple of steps.

Quick Sketch

Diary of a Designer Part 1

After reviewing her ideas, I started collecting additional images & inspiration of my own that tied into hers. I also made quick, black and white sketches to show the silhouette and overall look of the design.

Fulfilling the Vision

Diary of a Designer Part 1

I visited both NYC and Miami to go fabric shopping and gather swatches. I also shopped at numerous trim and embroidery stores and collected other design elements (such as beads for hand-beading, appliqués, etc.). The biggest challenge while fabric and trim shopping was finding the right materials to make this design fulfill my clients vision while also keeping the aesthetic she wanted for her big day. I love shopping around the world for one-of-a-kind materials I can incorporate into every client’s design. 

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,,...a fun challenge for me as a designer to take on someone's vision and create something...
—Stella

Striking Inspiration

Diary of a Designer Part 1

I put together a physical mood board by pinning to a cork board the inspiration from my client, magazine tear-outs, pinterest printouts, pencil sketches, colors, and fabric swatches and trims. Personally, I love being able to touch and feel textures and move things around as inspiration strikes.

A mood board helps give my client a visual representation and a better understanding of what the aesthetic and feel of her design will be. This also assures we’re on the same page before I begin draping her design.

Once my mood board is edited and loved by my client, it hangs on my wall in front of me and helps serve as a guideline while I work on my client’s design.

Stay tuned for Part 2 on meeting my client for the first time and making final design decisions together.

Let’s get started on a custom handmade corset of your own! I am happy to answer any questions you may have. Please comment below.

Cheers

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