Cutaway variation

Another body coat that I cut in Montreal.
This is a variation on a cutaway that I cut and sewed while in Montreal.










































The student designer chose to have a modern twist on an 1870's inspired cutaway coat with inspiration from jeans jacket and motorcycle jacket styling. One of her first ideas was to have an asymmetrical zipper opening as in the motorcycle jacket, but keep the body shaping of a traditional tailcoat. I don't know why she ditched that idea, as I think it could have been quite fun, but in the end she came back to me with the DB 1870's inspiration and the leather yoke.
The back seaming was modified from the traditional so the seams run vertically into the yoke like a jean jacket in a way.
The corduroy for the jacket was luckily (for budget reasons) found in stock and she dyed it this colour. The leather (also found in stock) was a perfect pairing.

She wanted the collar to have quite a tall stand, and a few different inspirations, one of which was a type of modern convertible collar and the other more of an 1830's style. We ended up with more of the 1830's in feel.
I think it is difficult for students and new designers who don't really know how things are constructed to parse out what they really want. They see many pictures but don't quite "get" how particular details work or don't work or whether they can be incorporated successfully.
It is also difficult for me to describe the options of the variations and how they work without making the poor student's eyes glaze over because they really don't understand half of how things work.

In a situation where you are building a show in less than a month, there isn't a lot of time for experimentation either.



Over the month, for the men's wear, I cut and we built the cream frock coat and large described earlier, this cutaway coat, a suit jacket styled vest, a wrap skirt for a man, an asymmetrical tunic in waffle cotton with a period stand collar and strap and buckle closures. There was also a cape that incorporated a pair of exaggerated 4 inch deep pointy shoulder pads with a tulip collar trimmed in feathers, a pair of 1820's style pleated trousers, a pair of drop crotch riding breeches, a pair of ethnic inspired drop crotch trousers, plus alterations to an 18th century coat, a military jacket, and a few other bits and pieces.

We were very busy indeed!

grey cutaway coat

Here is a costume in progress for this season.
This waistcoat fabric has been dyed to this specific yellow. Since it was quite flimsy, I fused the fabric completely with "Sewer's Dream" a nice lightweight tricot-like fusible. Even though it is fused, I still have a strip of canvas put in the front to support the buttons and buttonholes, and neckline. We will add a small laid on collar to this and finish it up. Right now it is just basted to the back lining at the shoulders and sides.
The grey cutaway coat is wool, not a great one, it has some weight to it but I think the weave is a bit coarse and loose. The sleeves were just pinned quickly onto the stand and the only alterations I need to make are to take it in slightly on the side back seam, adjust the armhole slightly, and shorten the sleeves a half an inch. When the under collar is stitched on permanently, I will correct the angle of the notch and then the collar can be finished. He wears a pair of dark and light grey striped morning trousers with this and the white shirt and separate collar that is on the stand. The cravat is going to be something dark grey with stripes I think.