It is the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare this year and his life and works  will be celebrated over the country.

William Shakespeare  was born in 1564  and died in April 1616 He was an English poet, playwright and actor and was widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist.

He is often called England’s national poet and the “Bard of Avon”. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. In 2016 celebrations will commence in the United Kingdom and across the world to honour Shakespeare and his work.

Newcastle City Library will be joining in these celebrations and I am pleased to announce we have been booked to present our 16th Century inspired Fashion Show at Newcastle City Library.

We will present our show on Saturday 14 May  – our event is to be included as part of the popular ‘Late Shows’ which take place during the evening in the main library which is located in Newcastle City Centre.

We have already presented a number of events at the venue including costume talks and shows – it is a superb venue with wonderful facilities.We will present our Tudor Fashion Show show on the evening of 14 May- times to be confirmed.

My exciting show includes a eight exquisite costumes I have designed and created worn by models. They are accompanied by beautiful period music, a brief history of each historical figure and a talk about the design and construction of each costume.

My fashion show team consists of of eight people which includes four/five models.The show is both informative and interesting as well as humorous.

Our show presents King Henry VIII in full regalia arriving to a fanfare of trumpets, Queen Elizabeth I in an elaborate gold silk gown with decorative jewelled ruff, Queen Anne Boleyn wearing an elegant  blue silk/gold gown worn with a pearl trimmed French hood.

A stunning silk Peacock Blue dress with partlet for the young Mary Queen of Scots, a very attractive rose silk gown embroidered with gold for Queen Catherine Howard.

Also included are a stunning silver silk gown worn by Queen Jane Seymour or an elegant court costume with doublet, hat and sword for King James VI of Scotland. Mary Queen of Scots taking off her velvet robes to reveal her elegant execution gown is the dramatic finale to the show.

Please join us on 14 May for this celebration of Shakespeare – I am sure you will enjoy the show.

For more information click –  http://thelateshows.org.uk/2016/newcastle-city-library

King Henry VIII with Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour

To launch the 2014 Winter Programme members of the National Trust were invited to a fashion show with a difference held in the atmospheric surroundings of Washington Old Hall.

I presented my Period Fashion show in this beautiful period building which is steeped in history. Washington Old Hall is a manor house located in the Washington area of Tyne and Wear. It lies in the centre of Washington, being surrounded by other villages.
The manor was the ancestral home of the family of George Washington, the first President of the United States.The name Washington goes back to Anglo-Saxon times. The Norman knight, William de Hertburn, settled on the manorial land here before 1183.  Another house was on the site at the time, and over the years the family improved it and added a hall. Parts of the original hall are still in existence, notably the west end arches of the great hall.

Queen Elizabeth I

Our show took place downstairs in the very beautiful hall – at one end of the hall the arches provided a very attractive backdrop for my costumes. It was commented upon how perfectly the dresses suited the venue and how they brought history to life! Wine and canapés were also served in the Liberty Hall upstairs.

A very nice lady at the show particularly loved the silver silk Jane Seymour Gown. She commented  “It it is absolutely perfect for  Queen Jane Seymour, the design of crosses in the fabric is perfectly suited to her pious nature” she also mentioned that Jane loved pearls. That is why I used pearls to embellish the bodice and underskirt of this very elegant gown.

I would like to thank Douglas the lovely gentleman who booked the show for all his help in making the show such a success as well as the very kind man who served myself and my team refreshments during the evening. Not forgetting my friend Diane who introduced Douglas to my work – Thank you all – without your help this event would not have taken place.

[See image gallery at www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com]

Tudor Talk and Costume Display

On Tuesday 6th of May 2pm I will be presenting a very interesting and informative talk about the design, construction and inspiration for historical gowns, as well as a brief history of the people who wore them. The event will also feature a fabulous display of Tudor costumes as well as a personal appearance by King Henry VIII! A lavish cream tea will follow the talk and a private viewing of the Tudor exhibition within the castle.

Do not miss ‘The Power and the Glory’
Enter the magnificent world of early Tudor England in this temporary exhibition at Auckland Castle, the former home of Bishop Richard Fox (1494-1501), who was Henry VII’s most trusted advisor.
Sunday 30th of March – Tuesday 30th of September.

‘The Power and the Glory’ will showcase some of the finest sacred masterpieces from the Tudor period, including the newly discovered State Paradise Bed of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Included with admission to the Castle.

Just to let you know I am to be be interviewed by Chris Percival on his show on Bishop FM Radio next Sunday from 12 noon. We will chat about my Tudor Talk and Display to be presented at Auckland Castle on Tuesday 6th May – don’t miss it! 

see more at http://aucklandcastle.org/events

Tudor Costume Design- Bring History to Life.

As my Costume Talk/Lecture at Woodhorn on Mothering Sunday 10th March 2013 proved so popular I was asked to present it again in June 2013. So this presentation in October 2013 is the second return of my very popular talk  – it is scheduled as part of history week at the Woodhorn Museum in Ashington.

It includes information about the design/construction and inspiration for my 16th Century inspired historical gowns, as well as a brief and sometimes humorous history of the people who wore them.

Integral to the event is a display of my four costumes on mannequins with headdresses, fans, underwear and jewellery – costumes for  Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots and Anne Boleyn are included. There is also a personal appearance by King Henry VIII in full regalia. My talk is to be presented twice on Sunday 27th October at 11.30 am and 2 pm. Ticket price: £4 for my talk. Booking is advised.

Tickets available from Woodhorn Museum who is hosting the event. For further information about my talk  please visit the Woodhorn website –  http://www.experiencewoodhorn.com/mothers-day-costume-talk/.  [See image gallery at www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com]

My talk has also been mentioned in the local newspaper ‘The Evening Chronicle ‘ please find link below

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/local-news/community-news-brief-tuesday-8th-6154733

Book early as my talk proved so popular last time staff at the Woodhorn had to turn people away!

Costumes include Henry VIII, Catherine Howard, Mary Queen of Scots and an Orange Silk Court Gown

Last Friday we presented two Period Fashion Shows at Muncaster Castle near Ravenglass in Cumbria.

What a beautiful setting for my costumes – The medieval Castle is bordered by beautiful gardens, with the backdrop of the spectacular views of the Lakeland Fells. Unusual plants, trees and flowers from all over the world grow in the landscaped areas and the wild woods. Planted over 200 years ago, the gardens have been described as the Gateway to Paradise.

The Great Hall with its dramatic rich red and wood panelled walls dating from the medieval age.  This room is the heart of the Castle and was the dramatic setting for the shows.  The family’s seven centuries of accumulations fill the castle and the walls of the Great Hall are lined with beautiful portraits.The Castle was a superb venue in every respect

I received excellent feedback – comments from visitors I spoke to after the show included

– “The dramatic finale with Mary Queen of Scots wearing her execution clothes brought a lump to my throat”

–  “I really enjoyed both the history of the Tudors as well as an insight into the design of the fabulous costumes”.

– ” What an excellent King Henry VIII – he really looked the part!”

Everyone said they thoroughly enjoyed the fashion shows.

Henry VIII, Jane Seymour, Mary Queen of Scots and Anne Boleyn

After the final performance the models took part in a photo shoot in the magnificent grounds of Muncaster Castle.  I have included a selection of pictures taken both in the Great Hall and the beautiful grounds – I really hope you enjoy viewing them.

I would also like to thank all the staff of Muncaster especially Andy, Peter and Bronwyn for their help in making the shows such a success. They provided great facilities for the shows as well as excellent hospitality for the whole team – thank you!

My thanks to my friend  Dave Foster for his photographs

It was a  very interesting, lively and informative lecture about the design/construction and inspiration for my  historical gowns,as well as a brief history of the people who wore them.

Integral to the event was a display of four costumes on mannequins with headdresses, fans, underwear and jewelry as well as a personal appearance by King Henry VIII.

Costumes for Elizabeth I, Mary Queen of Scots and Anne Boleyn were also included.

You can view an album of all the events on the Newcastle Fashion Facebook page.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.502756853113329.1073741833.157890277599990&type=1

I have included some photographs of our event below I hope you enjoy viewing them.  The Newcastle Fashion Week pictures were taken by local photographer Lee Scullion.  [See image gallery at www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com]

Today we presented a ‘Mother’s Day Costume Talk’ for the Woodhorn Museum and Heritage Centre in Ashington.

It was a lovely venue – a beautiful light and airy function room with excellent facilities next to the  amazing ‘Cutter’ building.

Inspired by the monster coal cutting machines once used deep underground the new Cutter building at Woodhorn just outside Ashington is the place to come to learn about the history of Northumberland. The site of the former colliery has recently undergone a £16 million programme of work to turn it into a major heritage and tourism venue.

 The James Hare orange silk I have chosen for this gown looks very bright in these photographs – it does not photograph well. The Elizabethans certainly did not have fabric in such bright colours. In reality the fabric is a more subtle pretty shade of pink/orange. Nevertheless I am sure you’ll agree this stunning gown will certainly get you noticed at any stylish costume event!

The inspiration for this dress were gowns worn in the television series ‘The Tudors’ starring Natalie Dormer as Anne Boleyn.  Although in my opinion some of the costumes in the series were not historically correct they were nevertheless glamorous, stunning, beautiful to look at.

The gown has a bodice cut in the tight fitting back lacing ‘Tudor’ shape of the period. It has a bell shaped orange silk skirt hand pleated to the bodice of the dress. Under the silk skirt a farthingale and underskirt are worn.

The front edges of the skirt and hem are trimmed with gold lace and a hem guard. This was a piece of matching fabric a few inches wide which was sewn to the dress. It could be removed when the hem got dirty and be washed or replaced as it was almost impossible to clean such ornate and delicate dresses.

The tabs attached to the waistline of this gown have been cut out of lined orange silk and decorated with gold beads, gold cabochons, firefly jewels and gold lace.  Decorative skirting or tabs were very popular during this period.

The sleeves are tight fitting with slashes at the top to reveal ‘puffs’ of contrasting fabric. A large cap of contrasting fabric is cut to make the upper sleeve.  Strips are made from silk lined and trimmed with gold beads and gold lace. The strips are stitched to the cap of contrasting fabric and then the edges are gathered to fit a sleeve stay or base.  A tight fitting lower sleeve is cut of silk and lining fabric and trimmed with double gold lace and gold cord.

During this period however sleeves could also be a completely separate item which tied onto the bodice by laces and eyelets.  Sleeves were very expensive and were often given as presents. They would have been worn with different gowns for different occasions.   In most modern clothes the position of the sleeve seam is under the arm for movement.  In Tudor clothes it was usually placed on the top or at the back of the sleeve.  It was sometimes left open or caught by jewels at intervals so the chemise would show through.

Shoulder rolls have been added to the top of the sleeve.  They are made from two pieces of calico cut in a crescent shape, sewn together then stuffed with filling such as kapok.  They have been covered with silk to match the dress and have lavish embellishments of gold beaded braid trim, gold jewelled trim.  The shoulder rolls have been attached to the top of the sleeves at the seam. They were very popular in the 16^th Century and can be seen in many portraits.

A gold Renaissance motif created in gold thread and tiny gold spangles is sewn to the front of the bodice to add interest, glitter and sparkle.

A necklace and jewelled girdle set with ‘fire opal’ jewels are worn.  A large sparkling is attached to the end of the chain to complete the beautiful matching jewellery.

All Elizabethan ladies carried a fan and this lady is no exception. Her lavish fan has been made from a gilded base embellished with gold plated jewels with feathers in shades of orange, gold and green. A gold jewelled cord with gold hook is attached for carrying.

This stunning jewelled, ornate and sumptuous ‘Firefly’ silk gown is sure to be noticed at any Masquerade ball.

[See image gallery at www.tudortalkandcatwalk.com]

This very special masquerade gown has both a Tudor and contemporary feel which was inspired by authentic historical costume and also by the film ’ La Reine Margot’ starring Isabelle Adjani as Queen Margot of France. 

Based on the novel by Alexander Dumas, Queen Margot is set in 16th Century France, a time of political intrigue and religious persecution. Elizabeth I was on the throne of England during this period. Margot, the Catholic daughter of Catherine de Medici, is married off to Henri of Navarre, a Huguenot, in an effort to end the hostilities between the two religious groups.  Margot has no love or interest in her new husband, and takes a Huguenot lover, La Mole, instead. This film is a powerful historical epic with a huge amount of attention given to historical accuracy in sets and costumes. Queen Margot received nominations for Best Foreign Language Film from the Golden Globes and for Best Costume Design from the Academy Awards (1995).

The gowns worn by Isabelle Adjani as Queen Margot were absolutely stunning, sumptuous and beautifully made in a very attractive off the shoulder French style. It is interesting to note Mary Queen of Scots dressed in a French style as she was Queen as France albeit briefly during this period.

The bodice of this pink silk dress was constructed of boned calico lined with pink satin and covered with a top layer of pink silk in the shade ‘wild rose’.  The bodice has a large amount of metal boning – it needs to be sturdy because there is no shoulder support from straps.  It is cut in one piece straight across the front and back. It is fastened by lacing through holes reinforced by matching thread. The lacing is finished with gold plated aglets. The front of the bodice has a stomacher attached. This was a decorated triangular panel attached to a woman’s gown or bodice which lay over the front panel and was stitched into place. This stomacher is made of buckram, covered in silk and lined with deep pink satin. It has been heavily embroidered in gold thread.  The embroidery is taken from an authentic Tudor design of roses and is embellished with pink rose Swarovski crystals and gold plated jewels to add glitter and sparkle.

A rose coloured stone set in a gold plated pendant is attached to the front of the bodice. Three skirts have been created for this gown.  A full petticoat with hooped metal boning is worn first. It was placed around a woman’s waist to lift the skirts into a bell shape as it was fashionable at this time to have a full skirt.

Worn over the hooped petticoat is an underskirt constructed of plain non stretch fabric such as lightweight calico or cotton. The side and back panels are plain fabric but the front panel is cut of beautiful gold/pink taffeta embroidered with gold thread and gold spangles. A metallic brocade trim completes the lower edge of the underskirt.

Eight shaped panels are cut in rose pink silk to create the skirt of the gown. The skirt has a more fabric at the hem and less fabric at the waist to create the correct shape. The skirt has a placket at the back and is hand sewn to the bodice by pleating.

The Sleeves are separate. They are not attached to the bodice and are worn off the shoulder. They have been created from tubes of lined silk which are ruched to form an attractive double ‘puffed’ effect at the top. The puff is attached to the top of a smooth fitting sleeve which narrow’s towards the wrist. The sleeves are edged with gold trim and gold plated jewels that match the bodice.  This gown can also be worn without the sleeves as a unique strapless masquerade gown.

A necklace has been created to match the gown.  It is made from gold plated cabochons embellished with ‘pink rose’ Swarovski crystals, 6mm glass pearls and gold plated wire.  Swarovski rose crystal filigree is attached to create very attractive drop.  A long chain of 6mm pearls, gold filigree beads and rose pink bicone beads are worn around the neck and drape across the front of the bodice.

A sparkling girdle constructed of 6mm glass pearls, rose pink crystals, filigree beads, and rose pink bicone beads is worn around the waist.  A gold pendant with rose coloured stone set in a gold plated pendant is attached to the chain of the girdle to complete the regal jewellery.

A small purse has been made from matching fabric – it has a gold cord double drawstring top and is decorated with gold lace and 6mmm pearls.

A mask to match the gown has been created.  The base of the mask is constructed of plaster bandage which is applied to the face. When set – which happens quite quickly – it is trimmed to form the desired shape and the eyeholes are cut.  A length of metal or wood is attached to the base to form a handle and the base is covered with gold fabric.  Feathers in shades of bright pink and lilac as well as iridescent peacock have been fixed to the top of the mask. The mask is then lined with black felt and a gold cabochon with rose pink jewel attached to the top. The whole mask is embellished with rose pink Swarovski crystals, gold beading, gold trim and gold holographic spangles to create a sumptuous and sparkling mask.

With its sensuous style, sumptuous silk and glittering accessories this lavish gown could have been worn ‘La Reine Margot’ herself.