The hum of the city, This is London

What a pleasant surprise. Not as brusque as I had suspected, at times even disarmingly charming. I wonder, what made me suspect that London was plain rotten in the first place? Perhaps the literature, yep, it must have been the literature. To be fair, we did visit (unknowingly.. until quite late) on the Jubilee long weekend, a certain spirit was in the air, locals walked around in their Friday work suits and with beer mugs in hand. There was what one could only describe as an inevitable casualness in the air, and I, for one, am only glad for it.Who would want their worst suspicions justified anyway!? 

Here's a jolly chap in Trafalgar square.

Yes, the weather was particularly and unprecedent-ally bad. 2 soaks a day on average, but everything feels more resonantly historic in this weather. 

Harrods food courts - another pleasant surprise. PS: the best Turkish delight ever. I'm still kicking myself for passing on the pink Himalayan salt slabs and the Charbonnel and Walker chocolates just because I didn't feel like them at the time.

My travelling companion. We both read every caption at the museums and we both walk very long distances before needing a sit down. Only difference, she's effortless in front of a camera.. I'm better off hiding behind it (enthusiastically though amateurishly). Back home.. and I keep feeling as if something is missing.. a weight has been lifted from around my neck. My camera is now in storage.

A gem. The Victoria and Albert Museum of Childhood. I fell in love and I only managed to fit in one storey. I will be back.

Our host on the pancake stand swing at Field Day. Colour co-ordinated and all! 

(I dare say) a contender for the top 3 best places in the world for someone of my disposition. 

Babettopolis <3 V&A

porcelain and kimonos - a combination I am fond of

 a roomful of jewellery - in other words, the Elysian Fields.

coral dress of dreams in the permanent fashion collection

the Ballgowns exhibit :..) pity about the depressing gift shop and all the ballgowns I'm sure would have qualified for this exhibit but were instead left in storage.

at gun point I'd have to settle for just this set

the flower market on Columbia Road - a joyful experience

the permanent exhibit at the Wellcome Museum. Vanitas - a bleak reminder.. but at least beautifully made

Portobello Road and some Notting Hill - a wonderfully kept place. 

Kensington Gardens and the Orangery where high tea is served daily except of course when I visit. When I visit boring conferences are scheduled and the place closes down. I will be back amongst the menagerie of squirrels and magpies and turtle doves, all harmony and light.

Leighton House is possibly the best house I've ever been in. The dining room of Casa Rocca Piccola in Valletta is a close contender but this house is perfect in its entirety. Its history, it's Arab-inspired hall, its lofty studio space, its humble sleeping quarters, its perfectly sized garden, the stuffed peacock, the glass-roofed winter studio. What's more, for £5 you get to go back as many times as you like for a whole year. I <3 you Fredrick!

Another hidden gem.. the oldest music hall in Europe. The Kreutzer Quartet were the best ending to six days of very biased sightseeing. It was a visual education. I came back in a mood to create better, or at least, to try.

PS: having visited the whole Brick lane, Petticoat lane areas I cannot but express a degree of disappointment. The made-in-china trinket frenzy has hit even the best of markets it seems. Perhaps it's my problem for expecting too much, perhaps I expected I'd find something better, more 'handmade' away from these shores. Lesson learnt. Do not look too far away for what you want to see, sometimes you just have to put in enough energy to be that change yourself.

And on that perhaps cheesily-inspirational note I leave to finish off my haberdashery shopping list for tomorrow.

in the spirit of all things V.18

Having been away from my sewing machine/laptop/tea/pin-cushion set-up for what felt like a month but was actually a week; I was surprised to receive news of this promo vid on the last day of my holiday in London. To be quite honest, I had been eagerly awaiting its launch all along - one rarely has the opportunity to see themselves on screen unless it is actually their job to do just that. Must say I am flattered to have been asked to participate, alongside Sarah of The Secret Rose and I hope I've done my bit for Valletta. Thanks go to the talented Rebecca Cremona and Martin Bonnici team for giving us free reign to set up a mock atelier in the Manoel Theatre dressing rooms and for making our pinning and embroidering look so good (i.e. sexy!).

<<< here is the promo clip >>> 

Any opportunity to go to, let alone work in, the Manoel Theatre is welcome. *it was too early to take a good photo without feeling dizzy. I was still waiting for my toast from across the road at this point. Yes we got there early, bags and mannequins in tow, dying for tea and basically really excited about the whole prospect. 

In one of the theatre's changing room we set up a very stylized working top and studio with our works and the all important jacket we're collaborating on. It is in fact this jacket (below) that is featured in the clip - I am mock-pinning on the sleeves and Sarah is improvising on the embroidery for the second sleeve. the joys of acting!

Hard work is rewarded with tea in styrofoam cups. Sarah and the jacket inset.

 Sarah doing us both a favour and taking good photos of the whole set up... 

... and of me and my tomato head dolly. May I just say that I really love how this jacket is turning out and can't wait to finish it in the coming weeks!

au rev manoel!

May we be blessed with another opportunity to work there.. meanwhile we plan to keep collaborating. It's such fun knowing you can trust someone's work completely. It's also fun to visit each other's house and work in company. Again.. again..

All pic-nic-ed out!

Yeah we had a good afternoon out picnic-ing in (limits of) Mgarr, celebrating Sarah's birthday! Here are some pictures of the beautiful place we managed to secure for the occasion...

... of the birthday girl herself receiving gifts ...

... of Lara's yummy quiche and fresh rose water lemonade ...

... of the complementary swing ...

... more of the birthday girl as she reads through her birthday cards ...

... of Lara swinging peacefully ...

... of Carla looking picture perfect in her alcove ...

... and one last picture of the colour coordinated  girls ... all pic-nic-ed out after a modest spread of fancy sandwiches, pie, dinosaur chocolate, mini ice-cream lollies, haribo fizzy coke bottles and peachy-bellinis!!

*so remind me.. whose birthday is next?

It's all work and some play (eventually!)

Bringing to your attention.. perhaps too many times, some pieces I'm very glad to have taken up and finished to such a degree. These pieces saw me re-visiting them over and over again, revising some minor (perhaps almost invisible) mistakes, pleating and tearing open seams .. these pieces are proof of new levels of patience and endurance achieved in the last months. Strange, very strange, for a person this impatient with everything else.

 This is a Maid of Honour dress for the lovely Claire - easy to work with and for. She came forward with some drawings for her cousin's wedding and I sought to make something similar but with a twist. In practice, some ideas have to be done away with whilst others need to be introduced. Initially the dress was to be made in purple but now I'm glad the bride opted for champagne; the colour makes it all the more statuesque. Needless to say, that I really (honestly) enjoyed straining my eyes on the beading at the empire waistline. 

This is one of two tea-dresses my good friend, Sarah (of The Secret Rose) commissioned me to do. She purchased the floral material whilst on vacation in Dubai so we looked for a matching sturdy cotton to go with it for the top and the origami-inspired, modernized bow at the back. This neckline suits her so very much so we made sure to make the best of it by opening up the back all the way down to the waistline. *I love how her nail polish just happened to match the dress perfectly on the day she turned up for the last fitting! 

This, on the other hand is a collaboration with my other crafty friend Carla (of Rita Cholita). We decided to create a fuzzy wool cape, totally out of spirit with the impending summer, in hope it'll find a good life elsewhere where it's colder and more rudely so. The cape is lined with a flowery print I forgot to photograph (*sorry) and the cute round rosettes give it some extra 'vintage-y' appeal. I have a feeling we're going to have to reproduce it in a variety of colours for ourselves come winter!

And lastly.. a cute 50s inspired dress in the pipeline!

Before I forget.. Babettopolis' thoughts about 'vintage'  have been featured on sundaycircle.com just yesterday.

check it out here >> 'A Vintage Appeal' by Martina Said

YIPPIE **may I just say before I leave, that I'm really excited about visiting a good friend, the Leighton House, Walthamstow fabric market, Wilton's Music Hall and the Ballgowns exhibition at the V&A, all in the coming week** YIPPIE

A special dress

I consider myself to be a late bloomer in this respect. I know of girls who have spent their childhood trying on their mothers' wedding dresses, but throughout my childhood this particular dress was mythically hidden away from me, high up on the rails in a double protective bag, plastic on blue fabric, unreachable. It was very wise of my mum to keep it away from over zealous hands and waxy crayons. In fact, it was even nicer to re-discover it now that I'm old enough to objectively look beyond the 80s in it and see just that bit more. All things considered, for a late 80s wedding, this dress was tame and sleek and really quite elegantly cut. My mum has never been one for over the top dresses, in fact she rarely wears any, however it brings me joy that for this special occasion she actually designed something perfect for herself and got it made at my dad's aunt - the super seamstress aunt Maryanne, who I hope to visit for a chat and tips in the coming weeks.

The myth was broken yesterday - off went the bags and on went the dress (and surprisingly it fit).

Please excuse my mum's impatience, she failed to button all the way down the back.

Here are details from the tapering and buttoned sleeve at the wrist, the gathers at the shoulders and the handmade head-dress of sorts which my mum commissioned from a lady in Qormi who used to specialise in bridal accessories - now that's an enviable post.

And some more details of the neckline and motifs which must have been attached at the shoulders and on a belt. We had to consult a wedding photo to make sure. For people who really love sewing, we really have a laid back approach to dresses after all. You'd think mum would remember what her dress was like and what went where. My mum just shrugged it off laughing - she only ever wanted a dress which looked good and that didn't bankrupt her. I'm glad we share some priorities after all.

One more thing.. Part one (of three) of the Design Chronicles interviews with Babettpolis is out and I cannot but feel happy about it. I'm fond of this initiative and the innovative way in which these people do business. Thanks.. and you may check it out for yourself here ::

http://www.dcs.com.mt/blog/creativity-chronicles/maria-muscat-babettopolis/

Confessions of a modern seamstress

interview by Marika Azzopardi


Do you get glazed eyes from high street shopping that fruitlessly wastes your free afternoon, leaving you empty-handed? Finding the dream outfit can be hard for those whose figure is pretty straightforward, let alone for those whose physique is not your typical fashion-model thin.


That is when a girl starts thinking of alternatives - how about ferreting out a skilled dressmaker to create something truly ours, from head to toe? Meeting young Maria Muscat proves your good old-fashioned 'hajjata' does still exist, and this one comes with added flair. Here is what she says ...




When did you start sewing?
I’m 24 and I started taking sewing seriously (as opposed to just being in love with the idea) and attending pattern-making courses in my first year at Uni. I needed something more tangible to focus on outside of my course. I must have been 18 so that makes it 7 years give or take. 


What prompted you to start working as a seamstress or dressmaker?
I wanted to give it a go, it was a now or never kind of thing. Having spent a year teaching art in primary schools, I was pretty sure I’d do that for the rest of my life. I really enjoyed teaching. However, I kept cramming in sewing work which I always felt too tired to work on in the evenings. So I decided to just go for it last year, I gave up the security that comes with having a salary whilst I slowly started enjoying the perks of being my own boss which, by the way, requires a lot of discipline.


Why do people come to you?
They come to get something special done for themselves or else to purchase something particular for friends whose tastes they know inside out. I make made to measure clothing and I design shoes and bags and hats and accessories (the list goes on) so it’s safe to say that people often come for the whole experience. We sit down and talk about their needs and their ideas and then it’s up to me to come up with something that encapsulates all of that as well as push their boundaries, if only slightly. People need to feel safe but also expect to be surprised.
  
What is the characteristic of your work?
Much of my work is vintage inspired yet tailored to one’s needs. I try to bring up to date design elements from the past, make them more palatable for the uninitiated. My work is also detailed and favours the integration of other traditional craft elements like lace and embroidery. I’m all for luxury, in small statement-making doses.


Do you only do custom-made new clothing or do you also re-create old clothes? 
Yes, I often alter/up-do special pieces of clothing or accessories that carry sentimental value for their owner; I aim to create something even more special out of a well-loved object without destroying it’s essence. I can mend and decorate bags, I can turn a much used dress whose patterned material one has grown to love into a beg whose owner will take as much wear out of, I can up-do plain shoes that need that little bit of extra something; to a certain extent I give a second lease on life to objects that deserve it. 




Who are your typical clients?
I get a mixed clientele; from relatively young teens who have grown up in the ‘vintage-inspired’ fashion world of recent years to older ladies who are often bewildered at our nostalgia for the fashions from their teens. I also design and make wedding dresses and accessories for brides on the look out for something slightly more special than the off-the-rail or over-the-internet choices. But mainly women who miss the sentimental aspect that a tailored one-off dress brings with it. 




Which designer inspires you?
I, like many I am sure, have my own long list of favourite designers but my top 3 would have to be (at gun point): Paul Poiret, Madame Gres and Sorelle Fontana/Chanel/Callot Soeurs/ Madeleine Vionnet/ Fortuny …


Which era inspires you?
I am infatuated with the fashions from the beginning of the 20th century up to the 50s and (why not) even slightly beyond that. The first corset-less silhouettes remain amongst my favourites.


What skills do you have apart from sewing skills? 
I do embroidery and beading. I paint on some items when I feel it’s necessary and I also work with clay and copper to create my costume jewellery designs. I work with felt to make hats and fascinators and a while back I decided to take some informal training in shoe making as well. I often (if not always) feel the need to know what goes into making something before daring to design it.


How long does it take you to create a project?
Projects vary. Even similar dresses take different amounts of time. Making a dress requires time for consultation, choosing materials, drafting a pattern, cutting the material and then several fittings to ensure a flattering fit. A clay project on the other hand requires its own drying and firing time. Anything handmade and well-made requires its own time. 




Do you have a favourite time of day to work in and why?
I need the morning light for pattern making and cutting and stitching and the in-between time for answering e-mails and queries and fittings since clients often come for their fitting after work. The evening, I reserve for sketching and beading and embroidering. I like to close the day with something more creative that I can carry with me to the sofa. So I wouldn’t say I have a favourite time of day, just ideal times of day for different tasks.


What is your most useful piece of equipment & why?
I know it’s not at all romantic to say so, and that I should probably say it’s my sewing machine, but I think my laptop is the most useful piece of equipment. Perhaps I’m only saying this because I’d really like to get a new sewing machine and have been eying a sturdier specimen for a while now!


Your aspirations?
Is it ok to just hope, at this point, that I’ll be able to continue doing what I’m doing for years to come? I was never the type to aspire too highly and rather focus on achieving a little something definite every day. Of course, I’d love to have my own atelier. I already know what it’ll look like and I can assure you it’ll be a lovely place to work in and visit. However, it would be a pity to let my day dreaming interrupt my work at this crucial stage in my craft. I like to keep focused and realistic.


Is there a future for bespoke dressmaking?
I hope so. As I said, I plan to keep at this for quite a while. I sincerely believe that I’m part of a general revival. The proliferation of home based industries and the revival of an art/craft fair culture is a sure indication that the love for handmade work is back to stay. Or so I choose to believe.




Your most important project to date?
A 50s inspired cocktail length wedding dress, simply cut but heavily embroidered with the bride’s own favourite love quotes! It was also important as a project since it allowed me to collaborate with a friend for the first time. Many contender projects are in the pipeline so if you were to ask me the same question in a couple of weeks’ time I might have a different answer for you. 


What do you do to promote your work?
I use facebook a lot. I have my own page under the name of ‘Babettopolis’ where I upload photos of finished work as well as work in progress. I also have an accompanying blog ‘babettopolis.blogspot.com’ in which I post more generally about influences and the behind the scenes of projects I’m involved in like PATCHES the handmade market. That’s it really. That, and talking about what I do a lot, like I just did here.




The Malta Independent on Sunday [20th May 2012]


Thanks Marika!

La Serenissima

Some say 'serene', I choose 'mad'. Venice is indeed mad, on the verge of toppling over into the waters that are intrinsic to its madness. It is not serene as much as it is in a constant state of stasis. Despite the infamous influx of visitors, both reverent and obnoxious, Venice remains uniquely grotesque in its loneliness. The only city to boast such architectural follies, built in the most lavish styles but on most dubious grounds. I find it difficult to consider Venice as Italian.. Venice cannot be anything but Venetian.. replete with harlequin spirit, and a lost sense of industry and initiative; filled to satiation with decadence best exemplified by gold cornices atop marbled pedestals. Even the pasta is mad: all stripey and colourful. The pace so slow it allows, or rather, traps you into believing you belong. I'll go back. I'll go through the difficult parting over again. Twice is not enough. I need more escapades. I'm prepared to suspend my disbelief and let as elite a city as Venice to dupe me into feeling welcome. I am suspicious of this city.. I think it's exuberant façade is a foil for corruption my inexperienced lens will never be able to capture. Venice you're crazy but I love you; mind you, it's a case of 'because of' rather than 'even though'!

Dusky colours that would make many a bathroom and bedroom happy. A generous helping of mould has the inherent potential to make everything look just like I've always dreamt it should.

prosecco + campari/aperol/etc + soda water + the all important olive = hours of blissful rocking of a seemingly all too familiar cradle.

When the scene from outside your window is as, if not more, engrossing than the exhibited work inside, you simply know you're in a good place. (Elliot Erwitt, DOG - New York City 1946)

Where I fell in love with Josef Hoffman as much as I've always been with Klimt.

speechless.. all stillness and light.

more stillness and some foreboding. Mr Digby's Giudecca is more shrouded than serene. Also the swirling seaweed would have been a nice accompanying treat (on the head) with the crushing black eye I was about to gift the rude ticket lady at the pier.

I rarely feel this small in Italy, Venice no less. For all I know this tower may be made out of paper, out to trick me into believing this place is real. The city holds within it the charm of a freshly pressed, still-humid sheaf. I will not stretch the metaphor, I just wish to explain myself better. Venice smells like paper.