1 min
By Cressida Bell
My favourite moment in the studio is when a new design comes to fruition. This design, 'Ariadne' was inspired by my visit to the Victoria Karelias Collection of Greek Costumes in Kalamata. It has one of the most comprehensive collections of Greek traditional costumes in Greece.
I have visited the museum twice in the past year and have been absolutely stunned by the beauty of the collection and the way it is presented.
Having bought the museum catalogue I was inspired to create a design using some elements from the wonderful elaborate embroidery contained therein. This new design is based on the gold embroidered overcoat from the Western Balkans featured in the section on male gold embroidered overcoats.
You can see my initial sketchbook workings below, along with pictures of the gorgeous coat itself. The striking patterns are hand stitched in metallic thread onto velvet with extraordinary precision. I have borrowed the idea of a continuous linear design that loops and and curls into spirals and fantastical frogging.
