Emma
says:
I call myself a multi-media
artist. What I really mean is; I am a multi-sensual artist.
Composition in the arts is a constant. It is how any given
aspect of media is consumed by the senses we stimulate
and how it is interpreted by the brain. Therefore if one
understands composition, only the tools change when one
sets out to stimulate the senses.
I
feel fashion is one of the most well rounded mediums capable
of stimulating multiple sensory arousals that I have had
the pleasure to work with.
If you think about the
different garments in your wardrobe; it’s easy to see
how important fashion is for yourself and those around
you. It could be easily said, that fashion is important
because, thank God, it covers up the neighbours derriere.
However the sensuality of fashion is the direction that
most of us enjoy.
The feel of silk stockings
and blouses to the hand or on the body, benefit the garment
wearer and those lucky enough to feel the sensation from
the outside. The texture of velvet, the caress of stretch
wear, the slickness of a freshly lubed latex cat suit,
just topically describe fashion and the sense of touch.
The earthy smell of a
leather skirt or jacket, sweet white chocolate and vanilla
of a clingy rubber dress, aromas from vintage nylon girdles
and stockings to freshly washed cotton t-shirts, all play
part in a sensual grand scheme of fashion.
A
personal favourite of mine is how the sense of hearing
comes into play. I love to hear the strong rhythmic sounds
of a pair of high heels walking down a hard floor hallway,
reverberating with each step. Perhaps if one is lucky
enough; the sounds of vintage fully fashioned stockings
gliding together or the crunching of a crisp leather jacket
may be heard as that person walks nearer. The snap, crackle,
pop, rubber garments make, is with out a doubt musical
percussion to my ears.
I won’t go into the sense
of taste aspects of fashion, giggles… You can use your
own imagination.
The whole composition then,
comes together visually. For both the wearer and the viewer,
the symphony of style, colour, texture, light and shadow,
take form in four dimensions. From the top of the head
to the soles of your shoes, you become an interactive
kinetic sculpture, stimulating from within and without.
I got
my first sewing machine after watching the carpenters
sew scrim together at the Playhouse, Opera and other theatres
where I was a scenic painter. This machine was used at
first to sew backdrops for various bands I was in at the
time. I then started experimenting with stretch wear.
It was off to the races from there.
After designing garments
and patterns I began a body wear company. We manufactured
swim and body wear, made in our home and sold worldwide.
Still a huge body wear fan, long after we shut the company
down, I kept all the machines, tools, cutting table and
fabrics. It was shortly thereafter that I discovered the
"lil Ms. Emma M." that you see here. With much evolution,
determination and dumb luck, I developed my interests
in fetish wear first, then an elegant but edgy day and
evening look. All this predicted on the do-it-yourself
mindset.
For
years I have been telling folks to buy a sewing machine.
Not just one but two! If you have a sewing machine it
sets you free of the designers and manufactures who are
making garments for girls that have figures constructed
differently than yours. Sewing machines offer you the
ability to alter garments and make them fit perfectly.
When a garment fits perfectly; it is noticeable!
Sewing machines offer you
the independence to make your own garments from scratch.
You can pick colours, fabric, and styles in any combination.
It is a wonderful freedom of sensual expression. Most
fabrics that I use are cut then constructed on sewing
machines. Latex rubber on the other hand is cut with a
roller then glued with (what else…?) rubber cement. It
is an arduous process that helps explain the retail pricing
of that product.
What inspires me to design?
Fabrics; vintage, classic and experimental fashion; my
physical attributes and limitations, mood, seasons, colour,
shoes, textures, aroma, music, plays, history, the list
is endless… Humour and whimsy play a large role in my
design as well. Being able to poke fun at yourself adds
a bit of dimension and off balance harmony. The key is
to learn as much as you can, then grab different parts
of your life, mix them up with the utmost confidence and
throw it out there to be scanned. If you trust yourself,
you will be ok.
I use lots of basic design
elements to fix body flaws. High neck garments are worn
frequently to visually slim a neck that I perceive to
be bigger than I would prefer. I developed waist nipping
thong panties (a gaff) that solves three issues for me;
slimming my waist, keeping my tuck and leaving no visible
panty line. These trunks come in a variety of sizes and
colours. They work well to tuck and nip for most body
types. They sell for $12 U.S. and can be ordered by e-mailing
me. I make skirts that nip the waist even further while
creating the illusion of hips with extra fabric on the
sides. The only padding I use is breast forms. Shoes,
hosiery, foundations to outerwear are always adjusted
to maximize a look. 90 – 95% of the things that I wear;
I make or have altered. Unfortunately I live in a small
market town that does not market for the trends and tastes
that I have developed from seeing the world market. This
creates the drive to develop new looks for myself.
Most
of us use the senses of sight and touch when considering
what to wear. When picking fabrics to make a garment or
finding a treasure on a clearance rack, I use the same
combination of sensation. My thought process is that of
a graphic designer. I try to choose garments for lines
and statements that they will make when juxtaposed in
as many combinations that I can derive. I absolutely love
dresses but find they don’t offer the versatility that
separates do. It’s the "once worn, its been seen" rule.
So the garments I design have to be versatile, sensual,
make a statement and fit perfectly. Lordy!
Examples of some versatile
garments are the leotards I designed for the body wear
company I had. I love these garments because they can
be used for working out, dancing, swim wear and if you
put a skirt and jacket over it; they can be worn to a
five star restaurant. By the way, many of these garments
are currently being blown out at fabulous prices on E
Bay auctions. Use ‘leotard’ as the search word.
I have to mention that
there is quite a buzz and a bit of humour involved, pretending
to be a GG model in all my E Bay auction site ads. If
the public at large knew, they might never be the same.
(Laughs) It’s our lil secret… See the leotard photo in
this article.
Once
all the garments are made, shoes and hosiery collected,
I enjoy archiving the efforts and zeitgeist. Photography
is a vital part of my sensual artistic path. It is also
a huge part of the learning process. By doing photos of
the image I have created, I am able to study the flaws
and the achievements. Flaws can then be adjusted and achievements
can be reused for future ensembles. Photography is also
then, a means to an art of its own. Chiaroscuro the study
of light to shadow, drama, body language and of course
the multi-sensual ensemble combine to take the art to
another level.
But perhaps we can discuss
photography and image in another issue. Contact Emma M.
at:
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