Replies

1. 
   sarahkayla | Jul 15, 2004 05:16pm | #1

   theirry mugler is a paris based german designer.. he's one of those guys who just knows how to think out of the box...I'm lucky enogh to have purchased a dress of his in a thrift store.. ( for $10)..it is one of the cleverest garments I have ever put on my body.. it is also astonishlingly flattering.. it a fine black wool with a red standup collar and cuffs and an asymetrical closing... it closes with snaps and a huge side buckle at the waist.. the top is all severe an military but the skirt front end with a deep and unexpected ruffle.. the effect is both austere and sexy.. the shoulder pads are HUUUUUGE so I have sort of a sexy space woman look when I wear it.. he's just a smart smart man...

   my guess is that you could probably start out with an existing collar pattern and play with it..cutting and shaping until you get something that makes you happy.. the thing about the really gifted disigners.. the detail isn't an add on the way it would be in most RTW.. but rather central to the whole concept of the garment.. my guess is that in other elements of that jacket there will be construction elements or details that correspond in some way to the lapel.

   I am forever grateful to the woman who donated that jacket to the salvation army..

   sarah in nyc

1. 
   FitnessNut | Jul 15, 2004 08:23pm | #2

   Oh, you lucky woman! I'm so jealous ;-)

   I'd love to just be able to see one of his garments up close (and the inside as well!). He is a very clever and imaginative designer and I suspect that the construction would be an inspiration to us all.

1. 
   KarenW | Jul 16, 2004 01:17am | #3

   Wow Sarah, that was one incredible find!!I have gotten to examine several of his garments close up...  I took a sewing class at the local jr. college this spring and one of the other classes had a designer from TM as a guest speaker one night.  So that I don't misreport anything I will wait to post more when I pull out the book we were given, but a few things stand out in my mind... all garments were very flattering to the hourglass physique and she said designed to maximally flatter the feminine form (of course, that's a very specific form... I wanted to ask if they would enhance the far from hourglass perfect figure, but since my class was a guest of the others didn't want to impose) and are intended that way (very hourglass shape), and that he's no longer designing garments, he's on to other pursuits. 

   To be honest I didn't feel comfortable opening and searching through the items on hangers to examine construction since I believe they belonged to the speaker but I am sure they were as perfect inside as each detail outside was.  Sarah how lucky that you have one to scrutinize!  I think I'm going to have to start shopping some finer thrift stores...

   Karen

1. 
   sarahkayla | Jul 16, 2004 09:51pm | #4

   I have a far from perfect shape... I'm broad shouldered and tend to be pear shaped.. the dress works...like a man's suit does ...to minimize all of my irregularities and give me an idealized shape.  on the hanger.. it's attractive...but not astounding.. on the body...the dress is fabulous..that's the genius of a genius.

   I actually try to check out thrift stoes in fancy neighborhoods.. their rejects are just  the best.. I visit the consigment stores on new york's upper east side...where you get rejects from park avenue matrons.. I went to the thrift store on palm beach.. ( just amazing) but if I went to detroit I would visit the thrift stores in gros pointe...

   you get the picture.. every city has it's towns with the rich people.. those are the trhift sores to visit...

   sarah in nyc

1. 
   KarenW | Jul 16, 2004 10:59pm | #5

   Yeah, these thrift stores in/around the Leisure World community just don't have the same offerings. They were great though for DH's "over the hill" party...  ;-)

   Though I haven't been there for a long time there used to be the most incredible vintage pieces in the Hollywood/N.Hollywood area, don't know if I'd find designers like this so much as vintage treasures, but you're right, the finds were definitely regional.

   Karen

2. 
   sarahkayla | Jul 16, 2004 11:14pm | #6

   actually when I went thrifting in West Hollywood I was touched to see how many tuxedos and evening gowns were there.. there are very very few in the new york sthrift stores.. all those gowns made me think of abandoned dreams of glamour....

   sarah in nyc