……………………….Another print I absolutely loved was the “CHAIN PRINT”…….The Chain print was as Iconic as any Leopard or animal print. European companies like Hermes, Gucci, YSL, Dolce & Gabanna had been doing their versions for years……I created my version by taking two different sizes of curb link chain and placing them randomly on a printer machine. I did a few versions until I decided on the one I liked. I then took it into the Lai Apparel office and worked with the print person. She put it into the computer and worked on the proper repeat. Then we worked on the colors. The chains would all be in shaded of GOLD. The background would be ivory, perfectly pink and blue. Then shading was added under the chain to give dimension…..and voila….a chain print was born. I printed the design on a beautiful quality of stretch cotton sateen for the jacket and skirt, and a cotton lawn for the shirt. On trips to Italy I had purchased cotton lawn shirts for myself in a wonderful men’s store in Florence. They were thin, light weight and comfortable in the humid heat. I decided the short sleeve shirt would be perfect in this fabric….similar in weight to a handkerchief linen. There were some women who thought the fabric was cheap because the fabric was thin! First of all I would never deliberately use a cheap fabric, and second of all they obviously knew nothing about fabrics. To make a lawn fabric, which is thin on purpose to keep the wearer cool, the cotton yarn must be of the fines quality….or when it is woven slubs and knots would appear as damages, and the fabric would have to be discarded. Now that I’ve cleared that misconception up I can move on after 10 years…LOL….The cotton knit Tee shirt had a short sleeve, almost a cap sleeve, and it had a scoop neck. For the gold piping I used a very expensive bathing suit fabric in metallic gold. No one swam in these suits…they just wore them around the pool or as body suits. We were only going to use it as a piping so Elaine said we could afford it…..YEAH!……It was with this collection that I introduced the “Wind Chime Necklace and Earring”, and the multi Chain Necklace, Chain Hoop Earring and Bracelet………..The prints at the lower left were the reorder colors for the crinkle georgette Boho skirt.
I was just looking at my ivory chain print skirt and jacket the other day…still a favorite of mine. I wanted the navy too but it sold out in my size at that time.
I still have the ivory chain print blouse and the gold-piping trimmed ivory top. They both look great and have held up wonderfully.
I loved this little shirt; so cool and comfortable in a hot and humid summer in Annapolis, and that gold chain link bracelet still looks wonderful.
I love a white lawn shirt thrown over a halter dress or jumpsuit, so sexy to see tan skin through the shirt, then
add your gold jewelry. Drives men WILD!!! LOL.
Fun to wake up to more of your beautiful designs — AND a rant about cotton lawn! You’re a wonderful teacher and have educated us so well.
CGee, I hope I didn’t overdo it about the cotton lawn….but….it really ticks me off when people make judgments about something that absolutely know nothing about, and speak like it was gospel.
Louis,
Cotton lawn would be similar to cotton voile or no?
Cotton voile is even more sheer.
Oh, I loved the cotton lawn rant! You’re a dramatic Leo and it’s always fun to read (now that we cannot see/hear) your insights.