Behind Starlight

"For my part I know nothing with any certainty, but the sight of the stars makes me dream."

-Vincent Van Gogh

The Inspiration

I dreamt up Starlight on a summer night when it seemed that every star in the sky was visible. The vision started with the bright twinkling stars themselves against the endless dark of the sky. From there, the thought bloomed into the darkness itself. That endless black is actually a multitude of colors from blue to purple to pink. I aimed for my collection to create a similar impact. Upon closer inspection, you'll notice that it's not just one color carrying the weight, but a fusion of colors, fabrics, and materials at play.

When observing the stars, it may seem like a chaotic sea of countless lights vying for a place in the night sky. Yet, I find solace in the idea that each of these stars holds its own unique position. Just like how we might sometimes feel insignificant in a vast world, it's crucial for us to discover our own way of making an impact.

Prior to beginning Starlight I felt a bit lost in my design journey. I knew I wasn’t happy with the current way I was doing things but couldn’t quite find my place in an industry that houses billions of talented designers. So in a moment of uncertainty, I gave myself the goal of simply creating for the joy of it. I started with sketches of garments that would likely only be seen on a runway. I stopped worrying about what would be a viable product to sell and simply let my visions run their course.

Throughout this process I found that I’ve outgrown the Ready To Wear garments that my brand was built on. My creativity came to life when designing beautiful gowns and over the top silhouettes. While I plan to always keep my custom orders open for individuals looking for something they can wear time and time again, I hope to pivot my brands focus to my individual design style.

So if you too find yourself staring at the night sky and feeling like you have no place in the world, I hope you look closer and see that even in a sea of lights, you can make the sky shine.

The Matierials

I first started by sourcing fabrics that offered soft drapes that would hold structure. I settled on satins, tulles, and organza. You will notice a lot of these designs have a variety of elements to them. I wanted to pair an elegant floor length ball gown with a form fitted bodice and deep V neckline to bring an edge to an otherwise conservative look. 

One of the things I love most about this collection is the use of multimedia materials. As soon as I had settled on Starlight I wanted to utilize LED lights in my design. As this is not a commonly used method, I had to do a lot of trouble shooting to bring this design to life. The LED wire is stitched into place by hand and has a small hidden pocket to easily turn the lights on or off while wearing. The voluptuous skirt of this dress helps keep the battery pack hidden so this garment truly appears to be twinkling by itself.

Another element you will see a lot of in this collection is beading. I spent over 100+ hours hand beading the stars for this garment before hand stitching them to the dress. The effect is dimension and intricacy you can not get with other methods. As the wearer moves around in this dress, the light catches the mix of silver and white beads to create the effect of light from the dress itself.

While finding my materials I was unable to find a truly “navy” blue tulle fabric. This ended up being for the best as I was able to experiment with sparkling cobalt and black tulle to create the look of a deep navy blue. This mix of colors helps bring dimension to the garment and ties back to my original inspiration.

If you are interested in learning more about the techniques and materials used, hop over to TikTok, Instagram, or Pinterest to follow the behind the scenes of my projects.