Thankyou to Ideal Home Magazine & 25 Beautiful Homes

I didn't get chance to add these pictures at the time and so I thought I would do it now.

The first two pictures show my Florence mannequin in a room set for the Ideal Home Magazine Feb 2011 issue. It's great when I get to send off a mannequin for a photo shoot as I always look forward to seeing how she has been used and styled.

This one was a romantic, French chic setting. I can't wait to see how my Austen mannequin has been used in the room sets of the Ideal Home Show. I'll remember to take my camera when I visit and take a few pictures.

The pictures below were from the Jan 2011 issue of 25 Beautiful Homes.

I'm always willing to send pictures for articles, or loan out mannequins for photo shoots, so do get in touch if there are any projects you need a mannequin for.


Speak soon, Julie x

New Fabrics for the Retro Collection

I've just got back from the post office with some great new fabrics for my Retro Collection.

http://www.vintagestylemannequins.co.uk/category_55/The-Retro-Collection.htm

I have chosen these four fabrics, which I think are bold and unique - just what I was looking for!

This one is called 'Como' and is a stunning design of butterfly wings and peackock feathers. Can't wait to get started on this one!

This one is called 'If She Sews She Knows'. My 'Home Sewing is Easy' mannequin has been very popular and this one is a similar theme, so hopefully she'll be a hit too!

Love this one - 'Peace'. Can't wait to see what she looks like made up.

When I saw this one - 'Dressforms', I couldn't resist. Well I do make mannequins, so how could I not buy a fabric covered in them!

I'm in the middle of a few big orders at the moment, but as soon as they are completed I have decided to focus on the Retro Collection for a while. I have a pile of fablous fabric just waiting to be made up and I need to complete the mannequins in this collection. Oh to have more hours in the day!

Julie x

New Vintage Mannequins Added Today

I love unpacking my new mannequin finds and discovering what kind of condition they are in. It was such a joy to pull back the bubble wrap of this lady and see her looking so lovely - I think she must have the best condition fabric for a mannequin of her age I have seen in a long time.

She has a tiny 22 inch waist and such lovely tailoring. She is a French Stockman make and must have been used to tailor and display such wonderful gowns.

You can see more pictures and details by following the link below:

http://www.vintagestylemannequins.co.uk/item_315/Antique-Vintage-Stockman-Wasp-Waist-French-Mannequin--c1900--22-Waist.htm

The mannequin below is a French Stockman c1940s mannequin, again in great condition.

More pictures and details can be seen here:

http://www.vintagestylemannequins.co.uk/item_316/Antique-French-Stockman-Female-Mannequin--Superb-Condition--c1940s.htm

It has been such a busy and fulfilling start to the year! There are lots of orders to be completed, as well as exciting ideas for the future and new fabrics to tailor with. I'm off to the Ideal Home Show in a few weeks to get lots of ideas and also to see one of my mannequins being used in one of the room sets! More about that soon.

Julie x

Male Mannequins in the Theatre!

Sometimes, when I tell people that I make mannequins they say either "Wow that must be really interesting ... I've always wanted one of those." or "Wow, that must be really interesting ... but what do people use them for?" Over the years, I have sent them all over the world and for many different purposes, from attractive displays in homes, for retail purposes in boutiques, dressmaking and photo shoots, to name a few.

As far as I know though, they have never been on the stage ... until now!

I was contacted a few months ago by a theatre company in Slovenia, who needed some male mannequins for their new production of 'The Emperor's New Clothes'

They were duly completed and dispatched ...

How happy and appreciative was I to be sent these photographs of their debut! I love the colourful costumes and am sure the play was a great sucess.

Well, back to the sewing machine I must go ... a few interesting projects are on the go.

Have a lovely (if windy!) day.

Julie x

A New Home for Two of My Ladies

These two lovely ladies are all set to start their new lives in Next. They are both destined for two branches of Next on Oxford Street - the Bond Street and Marble Arch shops. How exciting, I wonder what they will be used to display?

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They are tailored in Austen Natural and if you would like to see more pictures and details, just follow this link:

http://www.vintagestylemannequins.co.uk/item_67/MTO-Austen--Natural.htm

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I definately think a trip to London is in order. I can use Christmas shopping as an excuse, but really it will be to see how my ladies and gents are getting on.

Hope you are all having a lovely (if rainy!) day.
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Speak soon, Julie x

Shame on You - Developers of the 60s!

The village I live in has a lovely promenade of local shops and lots of Victorian and Edwardian buildings. The majority of it looks, I would imagine, quite unchanged from the early 1900s. The far end of it, however, suffered from the 60s habit of knocking down beautiful buildings and building featureless boxes.

The picture below shows Birkdale Town Hall and library as it looked in 1910 - beautifully well built, with stunning features - clearly a focal point of the village at the time. This lovely building was knocked down and replaced with ...

... this.

How could it have ever been allowed? At least now, thank goodness, there is a recognition of the value of old buildings to our heritige and this happens much less often.

More news to come soon about a particular building in the village ...

Facebook Free Giveaway Decided!

I have decided on the giveaway prize! The first 300 people who 'like' the page will be entered into the draw to win a £170 gift voucher for the website. You can use this voucher to buy, or put towards, a mannequin of your choice. I know I'm aiming high, but hey, why not! So pass this onto friends and maybe you, or they, could have an early Christmas present. Or maybe you know someone who would like a mannequin for Christmas.

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Click HERE to go to the page.

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Good Luck, Julie x