Balenciaga Suit With Peplum

 

I am finally getting around to posting about this suit. 

 

When I first started sewing for Gene ten years ago, I found this photo in a fashion history library book.  This is a 1951 Balenciaga design.  I fell in love with it and decided to make it.

 

 

Here is my first attempt back in 2004.

 

 

It turned out well, but I felt like the sleeve ruffles lacked the poof that they needed.  I only made two back then, one I sold and one I kept for myself.

 

Earlier this year, I was playing around with some flower pins that I had found in a craft store.  I thought they made great looking hats.  I remembered how much I love this suit so I decided to remake this suit to sell and then sell the pattern.

 

 

I love the texture of the fabric in this suit.  When I found some jacquard in several different colors at the fabric store, I knew it was "meant to be".

 

 

It is a challenge to find fabric that has small scaled designs on them.  I think this fabric works well for this suit.

 

 

When I found this hat pin at the craft store, I decided to use the teal jacquard for this suit.

 

 

I was able to make 5 suits out of a yard of fabric.  I took them to Sandra Stillwell's "Every Days a Holiday" convention and they sold out.  I had many request for more so I bought more teal jacquard and ordered more feather "hats".  I ended up making 10 more suits.  I used stiff tulle in the sleeve ruffles to give them the poof that they needed.

 

 

I don't recommend making 10 suits at the same time.  I decided that I have selective ADD, because it was hard for me to stick to my project.

 

 

Here is my attempt at recreating this pose.

 

My model is the JAMIEshow J'Adore Gene.  I now have 3 JS resin Genes at my house.  I love them, they are beautiful, but I am having a hard time photographing them.  I use to have a big problem with my dolls photographing too dark.  Now I have the opposite problem.  Their skin is so light and translucent, that they literally glow.  I feel like their faces get overexposed in my photos.  I need to work on this, but I would rather be sewing than taking pictures.

 

The teal suits are sold out, but I am planning on making this suit in plum and black at a later date.

 

The pattern to make this suit is also available here.