CHARLES & PATRICIA LESTER

Silk velvet evening coat.

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Velvet coat and silk dress outfit

Art gallery

Accepting an invitation to a preview at an art gallery can sometimes pose a problem of what to wear. Having been invited that, in itself, indicates that you are someone who appreciates art. Therefore what you choose to wear must reflect that part of your personality. This is when you can have fun choosing an outfit that in itself can be regarded as a work of art, either in the piece itself, or the creative way in which you put the picture together.

If you are a flamboyant person then you need to find something that has a certain eccentricity, either in the hand painted nature of the cloth or perhaps an unusual line in the cut of the garment. Vibrant colours should not be avoided – you are in an art gallery, so why not portray yourself as a work of art?

Perhaps your closet should be an art gallery in its own right. Not the conceptual art as shown in the ‘unmade bed’ but a glorious tumble of colours that will portray your every mood. Make your wardrobe somewhere that is filled with happy memories and discard everything that carries bad memories. Wear your clothes out that you love, throw them out if they do not make you feel special.A soft silk velvet evening coat worn over a simple bias dress in a heavy silk crepe or silk crepe backed satin. The coat is made from hand painted silk and viscose velvet that has been hand printed with a dramatic gold design. The complete ensemble is made in very limited numbers of the style and often being one of a kind as the coloring cannot be repeated because of the nature of the hand painting. Each garment is made individually right through from the fabric clouring and decoration to the final piece. This is very unusual in the day and age of mass production, even with garments that carry expensive high profile brand labels. A timeless design that would sit well in a Renaissance setting as well as an occasion of contemporary glamour.

The Coat

Style: Vivaldi Coat: £1890
Fabric: Hand painted and hand printed silkvelvet.
Color: Birdswing Black - a rich combination of deep blues and purples and greens hand painted on black fabric so that the fabric shimmers in the light as does a black birds wing.
Print: Garden Border (Metallic Gold). Other colours and prints available to order.
Size: to order petite to plus.

The Dress

Style: Lucy:
Fabric: Hand painted silk. Can be in either in heavy crepe de chine or crepe back satin.
Colour: Soft Woodland, Other colours available to order.
Size: to order petite to plus; the coat photographed is a plus size, but can be made in smaller sizes. The dress is a small size and can also be made in a range of sizes - the larger sizes in this shape of dress need a small adjustment to the design.

tel: 0044 (0) 1873 855115

Abergavenny, Wales,

NP7 7RL. UK.

fax: 0044 (0) 1873 858666