"HOUSE OF ORGANZA" launched on Thurs evening with Lyall Hasaraia's "Vogue Fabric" venue having been transformed into a white exhibition space. The shop front window was flickering with the film projected onto a screen of organza to intice visitors off the street and down the organza drenched and decorated stairs. The walls of the basement were hung with Mari Sarai's stunning prints from the shoot styled by Kim Howells. The very top image here is my piece which was a wearable holographic botanical garden. The theme was architecture and the constraint was using white organza. So I turned Lyall's french seamed fabric into love heart lotus flowers and made a solid hard edge structure to contrast the other designer's soft garments. I used the idea of "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary, How does your garden grow?" and filled each pod with flowers and bells so that it makes a jingle when you move it. So now the House Of Organza has a garden..........what did else was created? Craig Lawrence ingeniously shredded up white bin-liners to crochet in with his tight coils of organza for a signature voluminous top that comes alive when the model jumps into the air. Atalanta Weller made high heels that didn't actually have a heel with fabric extended all the way up the leg encased with crackled resin which then disappeared off into gigantic sails of soft fabric. Judy Blame made a neckpiece with feathers, buttons and even a 4 holed plastic can sealer. Dr NOKI constructed a whole dress with skull cut-outs that swung off the yoke, Gloved-up made a pair of gloves with an rigid exoskeleton amongst vast veils of fabric, Piers Attkinson made a kinky afro which envelopes the whole head like a perfect pom pom and Lyall himself made an exquisite body stocking with swirls starting small at the fingers and rippling all the way up the arm in a white horse tidal wave of fabric, frothing around the neckline.
To find the whole of Mari's beautiful story and see the film by Bogstandard, head over to Dazed Digital for the exclusive article.
(images top to bottom, Mari Sarai, film screengrab, Lyall serving up rum cocktails courtesy of Dalston Superstore, Mari and me wearing a Vogue print dress specially for the occasion!, Dr NOKI, Judy Blame's piece, cute pinbadges designed for event by Sophie Stephens)
