Silk Linen Curved Seam Midi Dress x Britex Fabrics Guest Blogging

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.

Aubergine Scalloped Wool A-line Dress x Britex Fabrics Guest Blogging

Jamie Lau Designs Aubergine Scalloped Wool A-line Dress

Catching an unusually sunny day in Brooklyn this time of year

With winter approaching and temperatures dropping, I wanted to create a wool dress to keep warm for the season as an alternative to just wearing sweaters. I was partially inspired by the geometric cuts and stark tunic shapes of 1960s Pierre Cardin.

Jamie Lau Designs Pierre Cardin Inspiration 1

The Cosmocorps collection in double-face wool jersey, 1967. Photo by Yoshi Takata.

As Cardin once said, he “wanted to give women […] a chance to work, to sit, to take the car and drive in [his] dresses.” As a person constantly on the go and working long hours, I appreciate that sentiment and always aim for comfort and functionality in my designs.

For this design, I chose an aubergine wool blend with embroidered scallops. I wanted a looser fit with some sleeve coverage, so I decided on an A-line dress silhouette with a boat neckline and set-in sleeves.

Jamie Lau Designs Aubergine Scalloped Wool A-line Dress 2

Embroidered scallop detail

Visit the Britex blog for my full article and get inspired!

Fashion Travelogue: Spring Floral Linen-Cotton Gathered-Waist Dress

Jamie Lau Designs Spring Floral Linen-Cotton Gathered-Waist Dress 1

Ready for spring in a Japanese linen-cotton blend Photo by Liz Clayman

Things have been quite busy at the Jamie Lau Designs studio. We kicked off the new year with a photo shoot featuring our new textile designs inspired by the natural environment, travel, and art, with prints based on my photographs. We designed a few custom bridal dresses and also celebrated the opening of our month-long pop-up shop at Makeshift Society in San Francisco, open until the end of this month on March 31, 2014.

In keeping up with the momentum, I’ll be embarking on an exciting textile-filled journey to Japan later this spring and summer (more details coming soon!). In preparation for my two-month trip, I’m starting a new series entitled Fashion Travelogue, with the goal of designing and sewing the bulk of my wardrobe and accessories for my travel abroad (yes, even pajamas!). I’ll be sharing snapshots of my designs on the blog throughout the next few months, starting with this Spring Floral Linen-Cotton Gathered-Waist Dress. (For similar styles, check out my Yabane Gathered-Waist Dress, Electric Cranes Gathered-Waist Dressand other items in my web shop.)

Jamie Lau Designs Anatomy Of A Dress

Anatomy of a dress

As you may have gathered, I love dresses and design, sew, and wear, well, mostly dresses. For this classic Jamie Lau Designs fit and flare silhouette, I chose a Japanese linen-cotton blend featuring a gridded background with a pink, orange, and lush green floral print overlay. And of course, you definitely can’t forget the pockets!

Jamie Lau Designs Spring Floral Linen-Cotton Gathered-Waist Dress Styled

Styled with accessories from two of my favorite designers

This dress is perfect for impromptu picnics and I would totally style it with my Rachel Comey wood wedge sandals and A.P.C. tortoise shell chain shoulder strap purse. Stay tuned for more Fashion Travelogue and hop over to the Hart’s Fabric blog for my latest article on how to sew a blind hem stitch using this dress as an example in my tutorial.

Announcing…Jamie Lau Designs Prints!

Blue Gradient A-line Shift Dress - available in linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen

Blue Gradient A-line Shift Dress – available in linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen

I’m so excited to announce the debut collection of Jamie Lau Designs prints this season! I am both print and color obsessed and always wanted to design my own textiles. Here’s a glimpse of some of my new designs which will be available at this year’s holiday shows and beyond.

One of my favorite designs is the bias cut Blue Gradient A-line Shift Dress (above) – available in both linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen. I was inspired by the painterly landscape surrounding the Arashiyama and Sagano area of Kyoto and a piece of Japanese stoneware reminiscent of rippling water. For a more behind-the-scenes look into the inspiration and design of this dress, check out my four-part Hand-Crafted Clothing guest blog series on Spoonflower – from color palette and design inspiration, to textile design and garment construction (Part I and Part II).

Blue Gradient Tote Bags in a textured linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen

Blue Gradient Tote Bags in a textured linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen

We also have unisex tote bags in the blue gradient print, available in both linen-cotton canvas and organic cotton sateen – perfect for gifting during the holiday season!

Jamie Lau Designs Color Palette Inspiration Blue-Green

Blue-green color palette inspiration

For my prints, I was heavily inspired by nature and gradients occurring in the natural environment. I also love an ombré color palette and collect paint chips for inspiration. In addition to dresses, we also have separates, starting with a fun pair of textured linen-cotton canvas Blue Gradient Resort Shorts in a rippling water print – great for wearing as-is or layering with opaque tights during colder winter months.

Jamie Lau Designs Blue Gradient Resort Shorts

Blue Gradient Resort Shorts in a ripple print

You may also recall my ombré red velvet and pink wedding color palette, which I wanted to explore again with clothing.

Jamie Lau Designs Color Palette Inspiration Pink Ombré

Pink ombé color palette inspiration

For the Niwa Draped Cocoon Dress, I was inspired by strolls in The Regent’s Park in London. I love this draped silhouette and the interplay between the flora and grass – another piece that is great for layering.

Jamie Lau Designs Niwa Draped Cocoon Dress

Niwa Draped Cocoon Dress in a luscious organic cotton sateen floral print

This floral printed dress is sewn in a luscious organic cotton sateen and features a front and back yoke.

Jamie Lau Designs Niwa Draped Cocoon Dress Back Detail

Back yoke detail

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of meeting two very talented Marimekko designers (illustrator Aino Maija-Metsola and clothing designer Mika Piirainen) during their visit from Finland for the Cooper-Hewitt Design by Hand series. Their work is so inspiring and I love the bold pops of color and use of prints in their designs. Of course, I had to wear something that was also designed by hand and print filled.

Jamie Lau Designs Marimekko Design by Hand

At the Cooper-Hewitt Design Center with Marimekko designers Aino-Maija Metsola and Mika Piirainen

This is just a snippet of what’s new. Stay tuned for more to come and I hope to see you all at this year’s holiday shows! If you’d like to place an order, email us at jamielaudesigns@gmail.com.

Jamie Lau Designs Fabric Swatches

Sneak peek of more Jamie Lau Designs fabric swatches

Metallic A-line Tent Dress x Britex Fabrics Guest Blogging

Jamie Lau Designs Metallic A-line Tent Dress

Venturing into a new color palette of shimmering jewel tones

In my latest Britex Fabrics guest blogger post, I chose to work in a luxurious French metallic/wool novelty blend. I was mostly drawn to the metallic characteristics of this fabric (as you know, I particularly love working with metallic brocades for my dress designs).

Jamie Lau Designs Turquoise Floral Metallic Brocade Party Dress

Classic Jamie Lau Designs dress silhouette in a turquoise metallic brocade with floral specks of peach, rose, gold, violet, and lush greens

Jamie Lau Designs Copper Metallic Brocade Sweetheart Dress

Another fun party dress I made in a copper metallic brocade with an abstract floral motif and sweetheart neckline

For this dress design, I wanted to create something modern, wearable, and layerable. I didn’t want to go too “evening” or fitted, so I decided to make an A-line tent dress with a yoke and vertical seaming (I ended up not having to add a zipper). I added a subtle petal hem and used Bemberg rayon “Ambiance” made in Japan for lining.

Jamie Lau Designs Metallic A-line Tent Dress

Subtle brilliant blue, emerald green, and purple jewel tones set against dark midnight blue background

Jamie Lau Designs Metallic A-line Tent Dress

A fun silhouette that can be worn with colorful tights or metallic accessory accents

It was definitely a challenging fabric to work with, but well worth the effort! Check out my full article for sewing tips and a tutorial on how to sew a dress with attached lining.

Jamie Lau Designs Metallic A-line Tent Dress

Thanks for the beautiful shimmering fabric, Britex!

Textured Geometry Dress x Britex Fabrics Guest Blogging

Jamie Lau Designs Textured Geometry Dress

Textured Geometry Dress sewn in a striped cotton and linen blend styled with colorful oxfords

With New York Fashion Week just around the corner, I was inspired to create a high-fashion fall look using a heavier weight fabric for my latest Britex Fabrics guest blogger post. When I saw the thick, bold charcoal and oatmeal colored stripes on this textured cotton/linen/lycra blend, I immediately thought of playing with stripes and creating a strong, structured silhouette.

Jamie Lau Designs Textured Geometry Dress

Pattern play with stripes

I added asymmetrical style lines and cut the front bodice on the bias, keeping in mind the rule of thirds…

Jamie Lau Designs Textured Geometry Dress

The perfect prisoner’s (wardrobe) dilemma?

And paired it with an inverted box pleat skirt design for a fit and flare dress, with all the horizontal stripes lining up perfectly.

Dieppa Restrepo Cali Oxfords

Classic round toe oxfords by Dieppa Restrepo in red metallic leather

To complete the look, I’d add a pop of color with my red metallic Dieppa Restrepo leather oxfords for a more casual look. To dress it up, I could see this styled with some black and gold accents.

For a more “behind the seams” look at my pattern making process, check out my full article on Britex Fabrics. Love this dress? Email me at jamielaudesigns@gmail.com to place an order.

Jamie Lau Designs Textured Geometry Dress

Thanks again for the amazing fabric, Britex!