Couture Doll Design Challenge 1

Our first design Challenge 

 GOTHIC

Our first guest judge was the winner of the CDDC People's Choice last year. She was also the winner of this challenge in the first CDDC. This challenge is our little tribute to the King of Shoes Joe Tai, who is very ill at this time. We want to wish Joe all the best and send our good thoughts and wishes to let him know we are thinking of him. So your first challenge will be to find a special pair of footwear and design an outfit around them...but CDDC must keep everything fresh so while revisiting this challenge to honor Joe, I gave it something a little different for the returning contestants...the twist...this footwear and design creation must be Gothic!!!

                        Link to:      My design on Couture Doll Design Challenge

        Judges scores

   

                      Theme: 5    Originality: 4.5     Creativity: 4.5      Construction: 5

Judith

Very unusual concept that works really well. Love the use of feathers and the mix and match way of employing them. They add texture and depth to the design. I do think the hat could have been more structured to fit back with the skirt & corset and not so soft. I also think perhaps the bra cups could have had a black satin lining to follow the panty

Rob
Theme: 4.5  Originality: 4.5 Creativity: 4.5 Construction: 4.5

I like this fashion a great deal. The shoes that inspired the fashion are perfect to compliment the gown you created. I love the architectural element you brought to the gown, it was perfectly balanced with the delicate tulle panels. It takes a confident and secure woman (doll) to wear this. I also like that the feather skirt can be removed and worn as a cape. Feathers used in doll fashion are one of my pet peeves, if the scale is too large, your use works wonderfully. I am glad that you used a scale of feather that works with the doll. Any larger and it would not have worked. I can also see her wearing this dress, without the feather skirt or cape to a cocktail party and being both the scandal and hit of the party. Your choice of laced closure for the gown was perfect, the added glamour and softness of the satin ribbon is brilliant. Your use of accessories work well, I adore the necklace. You pulled off the “Goth” without going into the costume department. I also appreciate your styling of the doll, the hair you chose, and the overall pose and feel of your photographs. Fantastic work!

Tom

Theme: 5 Originality: 5  Creativity: 4 Construction: 5

I loved this; but surprisingly enough, it’s the panty I find distracting…I would rather have seen a nude lining. I’ve never been of the school that any woman or doll would want to show her panties in public, particularly when wearing a design achievement such as this. Be careful with your posing – the side view implies that it is not well fitted; but you can see in the other images that the fit is spot on.

Lori

Theme: 4  Originality: 4 Creativity: 5 Construction: 4

Interesting design, although very sexy. I like the idea of the detachable skirt of feathers. Back lacing looks a little messy but overall construction is good


Thank you to all the judes for my scores!

I  absolutely loved this Challenge!  Since I love Gothic fashions, and love Vampire movies it was not difficult to come up with a design idea, in fact I had so many ideas.   I wanted to use blood red and black colour, as black conveys darkness, mystery, and sophistication.  Red conveys strong emotion, blood, love, passion, danger and romance. My favorite Goth fashion  is Victorian and Vampire.  But I also like Medieval, Steam punk and Burlesque.

I decided  to use a Sensual Vampire / Victorian style for my design.   
   
                    My favourite Romantic Vampire movies. 

Bram Stokers Dracula

 

"Vampires provided a perfect mirror of the worst fears of the pious and perfect. Vampires were dangerous, sexually rampant, enourmously powerful, absolutely unconcerned about human dignity and preservation of the soul, and finally...dead. and it was this last aspect of their nature that made them the most fascinating to legend-makers". -Dunn Mascetti, Manuela.

Interview with a Vampire

The outfit:

For the skirt and corset I choose red tulle and doubled it.

The back laces up with a red and black satin ribbon with black hooks on the outside so it doesn't stain the dolls.

The bottom of skirt I cut chiffon pieces and serged them, on top I placed trimmed Hackle feathers,

with black glitter, and red Swarovski crystals,  The skirt is removable with hidden snaps, and can be worn as a cape or without. For modesty she wears a super high cut sexy black satin panty.  The outfit is versatile and can be worn mix and match.  The outfit looks just as beautiful inside and out.

I made the little tiny fascinator top hat using black and red silk, hand rolled double ribbon rossete, chiffon, black satin bow and a jewelry detail in front, I handstripped the hackle feathers and curled them, glued red Swarovksi crystals on them, the hat is lined.  To finish the look I designed  a chunky Swarovski crytal necklace.

I wanted to make my own coffin platform heels, but unforutately  ran out of time.   I used a pair of Fashion Boulevard heels that I based my outfit on.  Doll is Sybarite.

I wish I took photos during construction but with the sewing and getting ready to go out of town, we took our daughter to Vegas for her birthday I didn't have time, and talking about Las Vegas, oh my the Haute Couture fashions in the High End stores to die for!!!!!
Anyway  by the time I got back the next challenge was already in progress.  For the second challenge I will be taking photos during the work progress.