WORK IN PROGRESS

Posting hiatus, working on new things, traveling to find inspiration. Working on life, working on fashion, working, working, working…

SKETCHBOOK: LINGERIE

This is more a finished croquis than a sketch, part of a series of croquis I’ve been working on based around this color story and inspiration. I’ve always wanted to dabble in Lingerie, while it’s completely different than ready-to-wear, sometimes I like to fantasize and play with ideas. When I think of Lingerie, I can’t help but think glam, Dita Von Teese and the 1940′s, when Lingerie was sexy, not necessarily trashy.

CHABELLA: FRIDAY FAVES

Between living in New York City, traveling, and my never ending search for inspiration, I always come accross some pretty interesting things. I decided to share with you my picks of all things that have inspired or sparked my imagination this week! Here is to fashion, travel, art and style!

MARKER TO PAPER

SKETCHBOOK: WEDDING CROQUIS

Recently, I was asked by a good friend to design a wedding dress for her upcoming nuptials, while this isn’t the specific garment I have designed for her, my mind went a little wild, and I became inspired by a wedding dress I sketched some time ago for a project I was working on. The idea was to create an opulent gown that would epitomize the fairy tale, haute-couture wedding, although this of course, just like fashion, is subjective and depends on the person. In my mind, I imagined it would be classic, sexy and like floating about in endless yards of silk, tulle and organza!

 

PHOTO DIARY: INSPIRATION – NEW YORK CITY

NYC is my city, although I consider myself a citizen of many places, New York is where I consider it home. Having been born in the Dominican Republic, and having lived in different cities, I  am not a born and raised New Yorker, but in a city full of so many ethnicities, it’s not rare for anyone to come to New York, fall in love with this amazing city and consider it home forever.

Living in the busiest, most productive city in the world, has many perks but often we miss its beauty, walking in a rush to work or dinner, parties ect. For one, NYC  is always inspiring, so I decided to be a tourist for the day in my own city and truly enjoy it through my camera lens. Hope you like!

Empire State-Midtown

Lower East Side

SKETCHBOOK: DREAMING OF SPRING

This weather is so fluctuating, one day I feel like I live in the Swiss Alps, wearing 3 layers of clothing and the next it’s so warm it’s hard to think we’re in the middle of winter, all thanks to Global Warming!

Needless to say, I find myself daydreaming of spring more and more. Luckily, I have been carrying my sketchbook everywhere I go, so I was able to capture exactly what I was daydreaming about one of these gloriuos warm days this week. Here’s a page from my sketchbook…which is also a little sneak peek of what’s coming up for Chabella spring 2012, available soon.

I will be posting pages from my sketchbook more and more as I have tons of sketches to share and to give a glimpse of my ongoing design process.

PHOTO DIARY: INSPIRATION – POMPEII

Anytime I travel anywhere I am always looking for inspiration. I ask myself “How I can take this experience and include into my work as a designer?” it’s the best way to draw inspiration.

I was looking through my travel photos from my trip to Italy last year, and I remembered the amazing experience I had of visiting one of the most magical places I’ve ever been to, Pompeii.

I never bothered to share the photos, but I figured I’d share them on the blog because it was such an inspirational place for me and its history really touched me on a personal level. One, because its beauty is still visible after so long and after having been through the worst adversity and two, because I’m an art history geek, so for me it was truly special.

Pompeii is one of the oldest cities in the world, dating back to the 8th century BC. Its ruins are in a place where a beautiful city once stood before being destroyed and buried by an eruption of the Mount Vesuvius volcano in the year 79 AD. The city was rediscovered/restored in 1749 and since then has been one of the most visited destinations in the South of Italy. Walking its streets, which are well over 2,000 years old and imagining the life that used to exist there was incredible. So, here is Pompeii through the lens of my camera. I hope you enjoy it and it touches you as much as it touched me.

WINTER COLOR-BLOCKING

Who says you can’t wear color in the winter? A smart dash of color and color-blocking in the right fabrics go a long way this season.

I love beautiful shades of gray as well as neutrals and I’ve always been an avid fan of black, specially living in New York City; but if you’re like me, and the many fashionistas I know, who come winter, suffer from slight melancholy, a.k.a the winter blues, look no further. Pair your favorite bold colors in the warmest fabrics of the season, and voilà! Problem solved. Don’t be afraid, nothing a little splash of color in your wardrobe can’t fix.

Lately I have been obsessed with the combination of fuchsia and dark cerulean blue, as seen in my F/W 2012 collection CHABELLANYC.

Silk cowl sleeve top. Available on ustrendy.com.

CHABELLA: STREET STYLE

A couple of weekends ago, before this winter wrath we’re in occured, I caught up with the beautiful Christen, in Greenwich Village. Christen is not only a good friend but truly a cool girl with a bigger than life personality and amazing style.

Christen is wearing the color block wool dress from my latest F/W 2012 collection. Photographed by Alberto Gomez. I could not think of a better way to spend a relaxing NYC afternoon, than with two of my most favorite people. So fun and inspiring!