'Sidonie' collection

Mona, Lulu, Colette......Art deco silk dresses by Joanne Fleming Design

This collection was inspired by, and named after, one of my favourite authors, Colette. Although she was always known from a young age (at her insistence) by her surname, her first name was in fact Sidonie (also her mother's middle name, shortened to Sido).

Colette published her first works in the first years of the 20th century, under her husband Willy's name. They were the 'Claudine' series, slightly saucy and autobiographical tales of a young French girl's life. But it was the publication of 'Cheri' in 1920 that really established her literary reputation, and it is this era....both the Belle Epoque described in the novel, and the Paris of the '20s and '30s that I always think epitomise Colette.

I love this particular shade of green silk charmeuse....and I used it for several pieces in this collection of bias-cut gowns. I could never quite decide on a name for it.....and described it at different times as 'chartreuse', or 'absinthe'. Neither of these quite fit, curses,.....but I so wanted them to, both liquors absolutely redolent of the era!

I also used a vibrant shade of cerise, and a vivid hyacinth (not seen here).

I thought I'd show how three different photographers interpreted the collection.....Nick Brooks/Implant images and Toby Key set the vivid green in a complimentary woodland setting, whilst Andrew Stubbs went for a more stylised decadent look for his studio shoot...... 

 Images; Nick Brooks

Mona; Green silk chiffon dress with feather detail by Joanne Fleming Design

Greta; cerise pink silk satin bias-cut evening dress by Joanne Fleming Design

Images;Toby Key

Colette; chartreuse silk satin art-deco dress by Joanne Fleming Design

Green silk art deco dress by Joanne Fleming Design

Images; Andrew Stubbs

 Cerise pink silk satin evening dress by Joanne Fleming Design

 Art deco dress details by Joanne Fleming Design

      

                                  Silk chiffon and satin evening dress by Joanne Fleming Design