Category Archives: Fashion

Fall 2017 Pop-Up at Seedstore

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Fall 2017 Pop-Up at SeedstoreJoin Jamie Lau Designs at Seedstore this weekend for a fall pop-up on Saturday, September 30, 2017. Shop our latest collection of jumpsuits, relaxed fit tops, and signature dress designs at one of our favorite local stockists. We’ll also have some exclusive styles available only at Seedstore, so don’t miss out. It’s also the perfect opportunity to book a fitting with us if you were curious about sizing, or wanted to place a custom order. Email us for more info!

Jamie Lau Designs Fall 2017 Pop-Up
September 30, 2017
Saturday, 11:00-5:00pm
Seedstore
212 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94118

In the meantime, visit our web shop to peruse our designs and follow us on Instagram for a behind the scenes peek of what’s to come.

California Dreamin’ in Abstract Floral Cotton

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California Dreamin’ in Abstract Floral Cotton 1

We’ve been experiencing quite the heatwave in California these last few days, which means perfect weather for wearing dresses! I selected this vibrant, textured cotton shantung to make a classic fit and flare dress for my trip to Los Angeles over Labor Day weekend. This designer fabric by Milly features an abstract floral print with bright persimmon and chocolate brown notes.
California Dreamin’ in Abstract Floral Cotton 2I photographed this look against one of the many Instagrammable walls and street art in LA. I came across this black and white photorealistic mural of palm trees by Noah Abrams Studio while strolling along Abbot Kinney Boulevard in Venice.
California Dreamin’ in Abstract Floral Cotton 2This gathered-waist silhouette features flattering cap sleeves, a square neckline, and center back zipper. I added inseam pockets versus sewing patch pockets so I would not distract from the flow of the print.California Dreamin’ in Abstract Floral Cotton 3Follow me on Instagram for more scenes from this trip. If you are interested in placing an order for this dress in this fabric or another cotton option, email us at jamielaudesigns [at] gmail [dot] com.

Ultramarine Blue Motion Jumpsuit

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Ultramarine Blue Motion Jumpsuit 1

Hei from Helsinki! For my vacation, I created a few travel outfits for my Scandinavian summer adventure. Working with some core JLD silhouettes, I updated my wardrobe, including the addition of a new Motion Jumpsuit design. I love designing with textured solids and selected this ultramarine blue linen, wool, and silk blend from Italy.

The bodice features relaxed short kimono sleeves and a center back zipper. This easy-to-wear pleated jumpsuit also incorporates deep hip yoke pockets, perfect for travel. The fabric blend is drapey and soft, and the subtle sheen adds textured interest to the movement of the silhouette.

Ultramarine Blue Motion Jumpsuit 2

Ultramarine Blue Motion Jumpsuit 3

For contrast, I styled the look with semi-sheer polka dot socks and wore the jumpsuit in Helsinki during my visit to the Iittala & Arabia Design Centre.

Ultramarine Blue Motion Jumpsuit 4

I am very inspired by color and offer my core silhouettes to customers in a variety of colors and prints. I love finding design inspiration while traveling. On this trip, I learned about Iittala’s color development process. Iittala is one of Finland’s most celebrated design and lifestyle brands. With over 100 active production colors, each color recipe is cast to a “stair model” to see how the material thickness affects the color. Iittala has over 10,000 different color recipes in the archives!

Ultramarine Blue Motion Jumpsuit 5

Follow me on Instagram for more scenes from this trip. If you are interested in placing an order for this jumpsuit in this fabric or another cotton option, email us at jamielaudesigns [at] gmail [dot] com. For those of you in San Francisco who would like to shop in person, I will be vending at the Renegade Craft Fair at Fort Mason the weekend of July 15-16, 2017. The event is free and open to the public.

Ultramarine Blue Motion Jumpsuit 6

This new design is also featured on the Britex Fabrics blog.

Spring 2017 Trunk Show at Seedstore

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Trunk Show at Seedstore

Jamie Lau Designs will be popping up at Seedstore for a spring trunk show this month. Join us on Saturday, April 29, 2017 to shop our latest collection of jumpsuits, relaxed fit tops, and signature dress designs at one of our favorite local stockists. Clement Street will be buzzing with activity this day, including an art show, live performances, and artisans selling their goods.

Jamie Lau Designs Spring 2017 Trunk Show
April 29, 2017
Saturday, 10:30-5pm
Seedstore
212 Clement Street
San Francisco, CA 94118

In the meantime, visit our web shop to peruse our designs and follow us on Instagram for a behind the scenes peek of what’s to come.

Metallic Ikat Striped Geometry Dress

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Metallic Ikat Striped Geometry Dress 1

I love working with stripes just as much as I love textured ikat fabric. When I saw this striped Italian ikat blend with copper accents, I knew it would make for a great party dress version of the JLD Striped Geometry Dress silhouette. The metallic threads add a luxury feel and I thought it would be fun to play with the direction of the “blurry” stripes that are characteristic of ikat weaving.

Much of the inspiration for my designs comes from my environment and looking beyond literal fashion references. Here are some artworks I was drawn to, mainly because of the intersection of stripes.

Teresita Fernández’s Stacked Waters 1

Teresita Fernández’s Stacked Waters created for the entrance space of the Blanton Museum of Art

Teresita Fernández’s Stacked Waters 2

A site-specific installation consisting of 3,100 square feet of custom-cast acrylic that covers the walls in a striped pattern

Monir Farmanfarmaian’s Hexagon

Monir Farmanfarmaian’s Hexagon (2010), shown by the Haines Gallery at The Armory Show in 2013

If you are interested in placing an order for a dress in this new fabric (or another option), email us at jamielaudesigns [at] gmail [dot] com.Metallic Ikat Striped Geometry Dress 2

This new design is also featured on the Britex Fabrics blog.

Metallic Linen Palazzo Pant Jumpsuit

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Metallic Linen Palazzo Pan Jumpsuit MainThe JLD Linen Palazzo Pant Jumpsuit silhouette has been a customer favorite. We’ve decided to update this look in new fabrics for 2017, starting with a luxurious linen with a silvery sheen. The metallic finish adds visual interest and elevates the material, yet still meets the functionality criteria since it is a linen.

The inspiration for this design came after a trip to Palm Springs earlier this year. (And yes, I brought along another version of this jumpsuit to wear during my trip!) In Palm Springs, I was surrounded by Old Hollywood glamour—Mid-century modern architecture, poolside bungalows, and vintage shopping—as well as the city’s modern makeover. I visited several art museums and dined at stylish restaurants around town. What I noticed when looking back at my phone was the number of photos I took of lighting fixtures. They all happened to be my favorite images from the camera roll and themed around the bright, shiny, and geometric.

Similar to the intersection of old and new that I observed in the desert, I wanted to update this vintage-inspired silhouette in a modern fabric. Here are some of the lighting design pieces that caught my eye.

Lindsey Adelman’s Branching Bubbles at L’Horizon Palm Springs

Lindsey Adelman’s Branching Bubbles at L’Horizon Palm Springs

Marjorie Edris Chandelier with its 365 bulbs at the Palm Springs Art Museum

Marjorie Edris Chandelier with its 365 bulbs at the Palm Springs Art Museum

Jim Campbell’s low-res light art experiment in perceptual cognition on view at the Palm Springs Art Museum, based on the digital pixel and the information it carries

Jim Campbell’s low-res light art experiment in perceptual cognition on view at the Palm Springs Art Museum, based on the digital pixel and the information it carries

To break up the shininess, I decided to cut and sew the necktie in black using the wrong side of the fabric for some contrast. I added side seam pockets—just like in the original version—and used woven flat non-roll elastic for the waistband to help resist rolling or twisting.

Linen Palazzo Pant Jumpsuit 2

Left: Our Blue Cotton-Linen Palazzo Pant Jumpsuit; Right: Our new Metallic Linen Palazzo Pant Jumpsuit

Linen Palazzo Pant Jumpsuit 3

The elastic waistband on this garment carries the weight of the linen pant legs, creating an effortless feel when worn

I styled this wide leg silhouette with my No. 6 Crowley Tassel Slingback Clogs for some elevation. And in case you were wondering, we shot this look in the Moon Viewing Garden, quite appropriate for this silver metallic jumpsuit. If you are interested in placing an order for a jumpsuit in this new fabric (or another option), email us at jamielaudesigns [at] gmail [dot] com.

Linen Palazzo Pant Jumpsuit 4

This new design is also featured on the Britex Fabrics blog.

Colorblock Polka Dot Shirt Dress

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JLD Colorblock Polka Dot Shirt Dress 1My favorite part of the design process is fabric selection. For this new spring shirt dress design, I paired a crisp, luxury cotton shirting fabric by Burberry with a contrasting hand-dyed blue cotton for the outer cuff layer. To further add interest to the overall design, I chose glazed marine blue buttons to highlight the polka dot print.

JLD Colorblock Polka Dot Shirt Dress 2

I styled the look with a mix of longtime accessory finds that have been sitting in my closet (and that have also moved back and forth with me across the country), including a vintage black leather Coach handbag and (possibly vintage) powder coated white floral earrings from Steven Alan.

JLD Colorblock Polka Dot Shirt Dress 3

I also styled the look with three of my favorite go-to accessories:
1. Large red hair barrette by Sylvain Le Hen, made in France and inspired by sensual organic forms,
2. Whimsical multicolored ikat socks by Bonne Maison, made with high quality Egyptian cotton spun in Italy, and
3. Dieppa Restrepo black leather Dandy flats from Totokaelo.

JLD Colorblock Polka Dot Shirt Dress 4

As for design details, I oftentimes find button cuffs to be a little restrictive, especially when I want to roll up my sleeves. Thus, I decided to draft a three-quarter sleeve with a full slit cuff for more freedom and less fuss. (Plus, you can still see a peek of the polka dot fabric sewn as the inner cuff layer.)

JLD Colorblock Polka Dot Shirt Dress 5

This dress was recently featured in my latest article for Britex Fabrics, which includes a button placket pattern drafting tutorial written by yours truly. For order inquiries of this new dress style, please contact us at jamielaudesigns@gmail.com.

Indigo Basketweave Raw Silk Cap Sleeve Pleated Dress x Britex Fabrics Guest Blogging

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JLD Indigo Basketweave Raw Silk Cap Sleeve Pleated Dress 1

A sunny morning in Golden Gate Park

One of our top-selling dress styles is the fit and flare silhouette, available with a gathered or pleated skirt, square or rounded neckline. In this latest version, I used an indigo basketweave raw silk. Its beautiful texture works great with this tailored silhouette, originally designed using a Japanese dragonfly print.

JLD Navy Pleated Tonbo Dress

Our form flattering Navy Pleated Tonbo Dress in a textured Japanese cotton.

I love the beauty of raw silk and its natural, subtle luster.

JLD Indigo Basketweave Raw Silk Cap Sleeve Pleated Dress 2

I styled the look with my Rachel Comey trompe l’oeil wood wedge platforms and colorful ikat Bonne Maison socks. For order inquiries of this new dress style, please contact us at jamielaudesigns@gmail.com.

JLD Bonne Maison Socks

Colorful chaussettes for styling

5/21 San Francisco Patternmaking Workshop at Britex Fabrics

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Britex Fabrics Drafting Collars

Top: Our Linen Palazzo Pant Jumpsuit; Bottom: Our Linen Colorblock Lowered-Waist Shirt Dress

Join me in San Francisco on Thursday, May 20, 2015 for a 2-hour patternmaking workshop on drafting collars at Britex Fabrics. I will discuss different collar types and demonstrate basic patternmaking techniques including a live demo on how to draft styles including the Peter Pan collar, Mandarin collar, and more. I’ll share some expert tips on pattern plot and manipulation, drafting undercollars, and applying interfacing to collars. This workshop is open to students of all sewing levels and may be particularly helpful to students looking to update and personalize existing sewing patterns that you use regularly, or those looking to delve deeper into fashion design and patternmaking.

Drafting Collars
Thursday, May 21, 2015 from 10:30 am-12:30 pm
Britex Fabrics
146 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
Register Now
$25.00

Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress x Britex Fabrics Guest Blogging

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JLD Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress 1

This minimal silhouette is a great palette for accessorizing, styling, and personalization for year-round wear.

One of our top-selling dresses is a relaxed fit ikat midi dress with short kimono sleeves. I wanted to create a new midi style with three-quarter sleeves in a slightly heavier weight fabric.

JLD Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress 2

This new style is sewn from a slubby textured silk linen blend made in Scotland and features curved seam detailing at the bustline.

JLD Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress 3

JLD Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress 4

This style of dress would not be complete without pockets, and I added them at the side seams.

JLD Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress 5

Given the minimal nature of the fabric in this silhouette, the dress makes a great palette for accessorizing, styling, and personalization for year-round wear. For spring, I chose to style it with a statement ceramic textile necklace, polka dot socks for a pop of color and pattern, and my go-to clogs.

JLD Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress 6

Jamie Lau Designs dress styled with Object & Totem ceramic necklace, Bonne Maison socks, and Rachel Comey clogs.

What I love most about this fabric are the subtle specks of blue yarn woven in with the overall grey and white.

JLD Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress 7

This silhouette is loosely inspired by choir robes and religious clothing.

Visit the Britex blog for my latest article on how to make and sew bias tape using this dress as an example in my tutorial.