Posts from ‘The Studio!’
A new batch of scarfettes for you
For those of you who do not know: These are scarfettes!
They were invented by me, but the adorable term “scarfette” was coined by my dear friend Nadine.
They are also called mini-scarves, hair ties and ribbon-ties by my clients.
Their purpose is multiple. They can simply be tied around your neck to add a little touch of class. They can be used as headbands or pony-tail ribbons. They can be tied onto a camisole at the strap on one side just above the bust adding a textile detail of colour. Their uses are multiple.
They cost $8 each
Marie-Françoise Malo looking beautiful!
In store NOW!
Made from a sheer Italian mesh, this little number can be super dressy and pairs perfectly to navy and indigo. The print makes me think of painterly brushstrokes from an impressionist artist. Cover yourself from the sun without overheating at a summer wedding. Wear it with jeans. New and delightful, this cardigan is a great travel companion.
The Spring collection is almost completely in the store now.
My creative process this year involved a lot of cutting and pasting and collage-ing with a glue stick and small scissors. I felt like I was making clothes for paper dolls. It was the first time we had ever done anything like this in the studio, but it allowed us to visualize and plan so that the whole collection fit together better than ever.
You can see my little notes where I was planning how many items to cut of what size in which colour.
This year’s process also included a spiritual connection to all our wishes and hopes and desires. The women on my team, including my mother, each told me three things they would wish for the world if they could change anything they wanted. These wishes/blessings were then assigned to individual garments. Below you can see the note “Celebrating Native Women” on the long feather dress.
Come and see for yourself. The store looks more beautiful than ever! I am crazy proud of this year’s collection and all the magic that will flow out into my community.
Kat
This is the wedding dress for the bride of a dear old friend. They are getting married this summer barefoot in the grass by the side of a lake – good ole’ hippie style. On a little road trip to Montreal this January they made time to shop for her dress at my store. We wanted something off the rack that could be customized for her to feel self-expressed and unique. Working with fabric pins and scarfettes, we were able to come up with an embellishment that suited her curves and colouring. Look at how the blue leaves bring out her stunning blue eyes. The side slit on the dress is actually quite racey and the sheer voile just barely covers her bum. Somehow she pulls it off perfectly, looking both classy and cute and sexy and just perfectly “Lena”.
When we took the dress back to the studio, i steamed all the pins off the back of the embellishments and stitched them to the dress. On the back of the dress, I continued the stitching of an ivy and leaf pattern in blue and bronze coloured thread. I added some sequins by hand and voila! A custom dress is born!
It was a true honour for me to be asked to make her wedding dress. Every time a friend asks me to make their dress, i feel really blessed and happy.
Kat
This is now in my top two favourite costumes of all times. It was comissioned for hoola hoop artist Danièle Béchard. She was a delight to design for and I was very inspired when I was making this little number. She wanted a skirt that she could roll her hoops up over without getting caught in it. She needed it to be washable, durable and yet still look luxurious and sexy. The initial challenge was convincing her to add a contrast colour outside of the red/black colour palette that we had decided upon. I knew that we would need blues and cools to make the red pop (pink was not an option for Daniele…she hates it) and so all of the stitching and embellishments are done with turquoise, blue, lavender and white for highlights. There is a lace up in the back that we cannot see in these pictures.
It’s time for another Katrin Leblond Studio Sale! Come visit Kat’s own creative space to snag some awesome deals on her collections. Prices are marked 20%, 30%, 50%, even 75% off!
If you haven’t visited Kat’s sunny Mile End studio, now’s your chance. It’s a powerful, magical place that faces west to the Mountain. The sale begins just in time to catch the late-afternoon flood of sunlight.
Curious about the sales?
This awesome skirt is down to 49.50 from its original price of 175!
I own this skirt in brown and it is a priceless part of my collection. You have to feel the velour for yourself.
These amazing jackets are knocked down to 50% off.
These elegant, asymmetric jackets are perfect for spring (which, according to the groundhog, is just around the corner).
February 21, 22 and 23rd, 2011
1 pm-9:00pm
5333 Casgrain, suite 902
We can’t wait to see you!! Get there early to snag the best deals!
Express your beauty as you are. Dance in your kitchen and sing to the stars.
Sarah Pearson
Life in the studio is often very busy and full of machine sounds, ringing phones and beautiful chaos. Last week we took a moment to eat a delicious lunch of freshly harvested organic veggies. The spread on the sewing machines was so pretty and reflects the quality of life I am constantly striving to achieve.
Beatriz, our beloved patternmaker (we call her our Queen!) has recently retired. We celebrated her Birthday with a homemade peach pie. If I weren’t designing clothes, I would be baking pies.
Take time to eat with the people you love. The food tastes better that way.
Kat
All photos in this post by Kat
I wanted to take the chance to let you all in on my world. I want to share with you, my loyal and beautiful friends, a part of who I am, and what I love.
So follow me on the journey of how a skirt becomes the embellished wonder that you, and I, all love…
We start with a Basic A-line skirt. We call it the “Art Skirt”, because I am always embellishing it in new ways with new appliquées and top stitching. All stitching is done in studio on the sewing machine, but it is what we call “freestyle”. It is not a computer image being embroidered, so each line is improvised as we sew.
This was in the fall collection fashion show as a sheer skirt with a nude thong underneath. As the world is not a runway show, we needed to make the skirt more suitable for everyday use.
First, I draw an image and translate it into stencils that we can use to cut the same shapes out of fabric
The first layer of stitching is really just to tack the cut out shaped to the skirt.
Top stitching details and buttons are added.
Then, we make a top to match, of course.
The racks full of clothing in the palette Black, Grey, Pink, Coral waiting for their new coordinating skirt and top to fill out the whole look.
Now you can get the skirt, the top, the pants, the jacket, the…………
It can all come together or you can always wildly mix and match in unexpected ways from other racks of differing colour palettes all over the store.
See you at the boutique.
erin
Krysten
Kat
Nature has always been my greatest inspiration. Flowers in the summer and leaves in the Fall. It is so simplistic, but it returns to me every season and I never tire of these basic earthy themes. Here is a sampling of some land art I find beautiful (all done by a man named Nils) and some of the leaf embroidery we are working on for the current Fall 2010 collection.
These leaves will be appearing on our Fall pencil skirt. It is my new favorite skirt and I am super excited to introduce this cut as a recurring staple to the store.
The black and white feather appliqué is a perfect t-shirt for the graphically bold. The feathers are delicately placed at the neckline of the v-neck. (this photo is on it’s side)
The new Mystery jacket ($126) with tumbling red tulle leaves (pictured below).
Nature in red glory marching to the water. I don’t really know what this photo is about I just like the walking red flowers.
Frost on the leaves is coming sooner than some of us would like to think.
The doorway to Fall.
The collection in store offers some fashionable ways to get ready before it gets cold out!
Kat
I think I speak for all woman (and man) kind when I point out the extraordinary woman that Frida Khalo embodied. Her passion for art, love of animals, eye for beauty and color, as well as rebellious personality make her one of the most remembered and cherished artists of all time.
Why exactly? Because with every whim she followed her instincts and her heart. With every experience she grew stronger no matter how negative they may have been. Jotting entries down in her journal, creating oil paintings infused with wildlife and heartbreaking imagery – if there was one main theme behind her artwork it was authenticity and acceptance.
What I love the most about her (and draw the most inspiration from) is how she was never anyone other than herself. Through good and bad habits she had a “take all of me or nothing at all” approach to life. She was passionate. She never settled.
Katharina, one of the lovely creators of KL goodness (a specialist when it comes to sewing machine embroidery) reminds me so much of Frida. While she is very much her own person, there is a wild beauty within her that is so refreshing and strong, you can’t help but think of Frida’s spirit.
Frida’s portraits were another highlight of her perception of the world. She did not try to beautify herself on canvas (in fact I find her much more attractive in photographs), but instead looked reality right in the face (sans alteration) and made it astounding. As a woman, this takes some serious guts!!!
Frida is a big part of what the KL team accomplish every day. The boutique is full of trinkets and prints alike that mimic or fully resemble this icon.
Kat even has this stuffed doll on her bookshelf…
My personal fave?
The Classic Hardware Frida bracelet, available for $55 at the boutique (There are also Frida necklaces and earrings). When I wear mine not only do I get heaps of comments, but it reminds me to stay strong and stay true.
xox
view from the studio around 7pm
These are some of the sunsets I love. On the beach in Thailand, from the windows of my studio and playing with eyeshadow. I have attached a cheesy video that I love because it was my first introduction to make up as a playful artform using colors.
Kat
Last Sunday as you may already know, was the open house at the KL studio! Here is a beautiful picture story of how a Scarfette traveled all the way fresh from the KL merrow machine (courtesy of Miss Hanna) to a picnic out with the girls on Mont Royal!
Oh glorious friendship!
Thank you Keera and Co. for allowing these personal photo’s on the KL blog 
We love seeing the continuous passing on of love to our creations after they have left our home…
I love how honest and totally genuine these pics are… SO awesome!
Keera also makes her own clothing, so be sure to check out her beautiful local designs!
Welcome to a new week
xox
So this last weekends Design Montreal Open House was quite the success at the KL studio! Rushes of crowds, lots of kiddo’s, familiar faces and the lovely KL team inviting everyone in and explaining how the design process works!
Kat had also just gotten back from Thailand the night before! Amazing that the time difference didn’t seem to effect her optimistic and energetic energy . Welcome home lady!
Hanna stationed herself just outside the studio doors in front of the elevators and offered live demonstrations as to how the boutique’s signature Scarfettes are made… the best part? Visitors got to choose a fabric scrap and watch it transform before their eyes into a wearable accessory – for keeps!
All smiles this girl!
The KL team put wanderers to the textile test…
… and of course the studio was completely adorned with beautiful KL boutique favorites… umbrellas and tulle suspended from the ceiling, patterns on the wall, fabrics and handmade shoes propped on the window ledge…
Guests were invited to enter the inspiration process by viewing Katrin’s personal scrapbooks and favorite visual reads
All of the studio’s work tools were listed and presented on the draft table…
… and even a super duper adorable cupcake pincushion made an appearance!
Katrin printed out a whole lot of inspiration pics from her trip abroad… these are just teasers… beautiful textures, colors and designs were all tacked up on the bulletin board *yum*!
And some of the gorgeous guests!
Katharina gives the inside scoop…
… and Hanna entertains the young ‘uns!
This was an awesome event and it was so nice to see so many Montrealers jumping head first into the world of design!
Have a beautiful start to the week!
xox
Start your engines ladies and gentlemen cause on May 2nd 2010 Katrin will be opening her studio doors to the public to take an in-depth look at next seasons upcoming swatches and trends! There will also be a Scarfette tutorial… a look at how your favorite KL accessory is made in shop via rescued fabric scraps!
There are some of the cities greatest design influences putting their practices on display, so be sure to head over to the Design Montreal Open House site (right now por favor) and plan out what you want to see most! Times, dates, addresses, events and activities can all be found on the website… can’t wait (I know I’ll be there)!
Follow Katrin via facebook fanpage for reminders and updates on this and all future events
xox
Check out these beautiful plastic butterflies that Katrin is currently working with for a wedding dress order… they are going to be sewn onto the dress itself! Such a beautiful and colorful splash of color for a summertime wedding !
I want to order a bunch to keep for adorning cupcakes! What a great way to spruce up pretty much anything (and what’s even better is that they are reusable)!
Hope you enjoyed the sunshine of Easter weekend!
xox
Ever wonder what happens to those unusable strips of excess fabric? While many clothing companies may just toss them in the trash, Katrin and her team turn them into the beautiful signature KL Scarfette!
What in the world is a Scarfette you ask?
Scarfettes are some of the most playful and fun accessories you can wear around your neck, in your hair, on your favorite handbag, clipped into a brooch… really wherever you desire a little splash of color and excitement! The best thing is that since they are studio scraps you can match them to some of your favorite KL staples… bring out the print in your party skirt with a similar color Scarfette headband!
Here is Hannah merrowing the Scarfettes in fun thread color combos! No two Scarfettes are alike!
Giving lost fabric new lives… Vote Scarfette!
Have a beautiful weekend!
xox
A studio is a creative space where you must feel safe and free to flourish. Katrin’s studio is exactly that – a sanctuary where you can let your mind free… to create, to love to master… here is a look at the studio’s inspiration board, some of the artwork found in the office and the sayings and motivation that keep the positivity factor high and booming!
Have a beautiful Friday!
xox
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