This is the art of Nicole Dextras.

It is from a group of work called Weedrobes:

“New addition to the Weedrobes Collection: The Maple Flapper Dress symbolizes hope and prosperity for the new immigrant. The 1920′s was an era of liberation for women and here she is seen as a young entrepreneur fresh off the boat, with her old-world good luck charms of plants and animals.”

I think she is incredible and hugely inspiring.

Nicole Dextras website

This show is beyond fashion…

It is about sculpture that can be worn.

The arms of the dress become fingered gloves with bright red lacquered nails.

The sequins are actually shaded to lend contour to the body.

Go to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts before it is too late.  The show closes October 2nd, 2011

These are both pictures that I took on my 3rd visit to the JPG show in Montreal at the MMFA.

The in-soles of those heels are lined with white fur.  Down to the detail his work is amazing and desirable.

It’s sexy.  It’s glam.  I want.

I love the Virgin of Guadalupe and I don’t really understand why.  I guess it is because she is such a stylish goddess.  She is always portrayed surrounded by glitter and pretty things and lots of colour.  She is the brown skinned Virgin and she is a Mother.

So I tried to make Virgin cookies…..not the best tasting cookies I ever made, but still kinda fun.

I also used the top of an old perfume bottle to emboss roses into the cookie dough.

And now, for a peek at a recent release of the new Fall collection:  the Guadalupe skirt!  Isn’t she just fabulous!

Go see it!

Don’t miss it!

I was very inspired and have been back to see it again since the opening night.  It was so crazy that night, that invited guests had to line up for hours just to get into the Museum.

The first series of photos below were taken while Krin and I took were in the line up to get into the Museum.

Me wearing a turquoise silk bustier ($158-258) and Russian Bracelet ($12-16) and Silk chiffon scarf ($22-32).

My muse and circus super star Karin Maren Haglund wearing the Purple Bella dress ($278)

This Rosebud necklace is all gypsy and all modern ($248)

The slim fit crinoline in multi reds ($140) available in 12 different colors at Boutique Katrin Leblond 4647 blvd. St-Laurent

The Museum of Fine arts in Montreal decked out in JPG sailor stripes.

Just before we went in to see the show I bumped into Rosie Godbout.  Her atelier is upstairs from mine and she is an incredible textile artist who specializes in felting and makes the most amazing winter coats.

Here we are inside the show admiring and stealing pictures on the down low.

My fave dress above and Krin’s fave below.

the famous Can Can dress was on a catwalk of moving mannekins.  The installation of the show is superb and very fresh.

I leave you with this picture of the most incredible shoe collage:  heels inside wedge sandals!  WOW!

La belle Katrin m’a fait parvenir plusieurs de ses suggestions, mais j’ai retenu la robe « Princesse corail » que je trouve assez spectaculaire. Une robe 100% soie, pour 345$. Elle est merveilleuse non?

La boutique Katrin Leblond est un must absolut pour votre magasinage de robe de bal. Vous y trouverez un choix très inspirant de modèles, pour toutes les tailles et toutes les bourses, tant par la designer propriétaire que par les nombreux designers québécois qu’elle accueille dans sa boutique. Ne passez pas à côté des joyeux bibis fabriqués par Katrin elle-même, et les crinolines de fabrication locale qui pourront compléter plusieurs modèles de robe.

Nous vous faisons un petit clin en envoyant ces photos.  Me voici dans ta creation que je porte lors d’un grand concours de flûte en Europe. Votre robe a presque eu autant de succès que ma performance!
De passage à Montréal, je ne manquerai pas de venir voir vos nouvelles collections!

Charlotte Bletton

Primed in bold colours, with all the subtlety laid on in layers.  Her work nods to impressionists like Monet and the group of Seven but offers it’s very own distinct contemporary and feminine eye.  Already housed in the collections of top politicians and companies like Bombardier and Hydro Quebec, this well affiliated artist’s work is virtually guaranteed to exponentially acquire value.  If ever you thought of dabbling in the potentially lucrative business of art collecting this is the artist to buy.  A limited selection of Madelaine’s paintings are available for viewing at the boutique.

The orchids are just incredible.  I made a series of dresses once for the Cirque du Soleil based on orchids.  Below are two dresses by Michelle Ferranti that served as my inspiration for that project.

Here are the frogs!!  Ha ha!  They are so hideous and yet i have nothing against frogs.  Actually, I think frogs are pretty important and I own a pair of little gold frog stud earrings that are quite delightful.  We all loved Kermit the frog.  Below I have added the image of a dress by John Galliano that seems kind of froggy to me.

This plate is classic Faberge egg inspiration.  It is just so perferct.  Look at he symmetry and ornament and texture.

You don’t need to be a genius to be an artist.  You just need to take the time to do it.  A lot of the work that I do is detail oriented and time consuming.  Other designers look at my work and think I’m crazy to be cutting out shapes, making stencils and drawing with thread.  But to me, it’s just what I do.  Come see the new Spring 2011 collection at the boutique.  I have been adding new styles every week.

Kat

It’s inspired by an Ernst Haeckel illustration of a stinkhorn fungus from the 19th century. The relationship this piece has with the environment isn’t just limited to mushrooms, though, as every inch of the dress is made with recycled materials.

And now for some mushroom art that fits into our everyday.  This is the new toadstool skirt that we are currently selling at the boutique.  It is playful and clearly a reminder of the fact that Spring is on its way.  YAY!

How many of you have sea shells in your bathroom?  I know I do.  I even have starfish spray painted silver and driftwood that I lugged home from vacation.  This post explores the connection between Nature, as illustrated by the drawings of Ernst Haeckel, and our desire to surround ourselves with objects from the ocean.

Below are some amazing contemporary furniture designs by a company called ARKTURA.  I am totally smitten with the lines and shadows that these pieces cast.  I am also a fan of the colour options they provide…what not just black and chrome?, but also plum, red and aqua…how do I choose?

a little bit of the real thing in pink and purple and red ( may favourite colours)…

…and a little bit of happy homemaker throwing an ocean themed dinner party!

photo by Jeffrey N Jeffords

Below are the sqid pages.  mmm, yum!

We have this pin in the store.  It is by an American artist called MamasLittleBabies.

Now this tops it all for me.  Michelle McCoskey has crochet this squid scarf.  I can’t say that I would wear it, but i was thrilled when I found theses images online and I hope you enjoy the ridiculousness and effort that went into making this masterpiece of crafty kitsch!

I find this woman and her dress very inspiring.  She is stunningly beautiful and her pose is very masculine and confident.  Her dress is a total work of art!  I would love to know who this woman is.  Is she an artists or a designer posing for a story?  If anyone knows who she is, I am curious.  Please leave a comment.

More bibis!

These are mock ups of our March first delivery group.  Lots of black and white accented with roses.   Pops of garden green and lime with fuschia and hot pink and peachy rose.  Playful pieces to prep you for a great summer ahead.

Your life is your most powerful art.  See you at the boutique.

erin

Photos by Madelaine Turgeon

Your life is your most powerful art.   See you at the boutique.

erin

She recently starred in a documentary.  Basically her, on her bicycle, giving her audience a private tour of all her favorite London haunts.   By haunts, we mean art galleries.

Though London is one most expensive cities on the planet, entrance to all the national galleries is completely free.  That is a powerful message about the justice of democratizing high art.

I love the message behind this.   I believe strongly in democratizing “high” art.  I believe in making beauty and culture accessible.   I believe that the masters – the artists who dared to change the world with their art, not the ones who catered to a phase and then burned out – should belong to all people.    Their work, I believe, is the copywright of humanity.   I also believe that, given their important work, great artists must get paid.

For a woman credited with birthing punk fashion in the 70s, it is mildly funny to see her lauding the values of high vs. underground culture.

She is anti-establishment, yet also vehemently pro high-art.  The two, she posits, go hand in hand.

Here’s what she told the Globe and Mail: “if you’re an art-lover, you’re also a freedom fighter, and you need to take part in trying to save the world.”

That is also the spirit behind Katrin Leblond’s work.  Kat believes fiercely in making art to better the world.  She expresses this both in her craft itself, and in the way she runs her business.  Her garments are made ethically, and her business is run with utmost concern for the environment.

Through vehemently defending beauty, she brings light and love to the world.  The clothes she produces, brimming with joy and made with love and justice, spread positivity when they’re worn in the world.

Vivienne Westwood insists that art exists to make us better people.  That love for humanity is certainly present in every piece of art that comes through our Boutique doors.

Express your beauty as you are. Dance in your kitchen and sing to the stars.

Sarah Pearson