Dark Summer

My top picks for dressing dark this summer...

With the change of seasons comes a change in wardrobe. The recent sunshine and summer holidays has had me thinking about my summer wardrobe and how to incorporate Eustratia pieces to create a 'dark fashion' look suitable for the warmer days. Here are some of my favourite pieces which are great for those long summer days and nights:

Shade Tunic

I love this tunic, and it's so versatile. Create different looks with what your wear underneath, and even makes a great cover up on the beach. Even better, it's currently in the sale for just £37.72!

Harness Cami and Scale Shorts

The harness cami is the Vanguard collections best seller and it's not hard to see why. Lightweight, wearable yet delicately edgy. Looks amazing teamed with the scale shorts. These jersey shorts have a lace overlay, with metal scale detail on each leg.

Cowl dress

This jersey dress is light enough to wear in warmer weather and looks amazing dressed up or down, one of my (many!) favourites from the collection.

Freya Jacket and Shadow Skirt 

As we all know British weather can be a bit unreliable, so this organza varsity jacket is great for when the sun goes in. You can also adjust the length of the shadow skirt with the side ties, perfect for taking you from day to night.

And don't forget the importance of accessories....

Harness Bra           Strip Harness

Unicorn Crest Necklace              Moth Necklace

And finally, this is how I've been wearing mine...

Valkyrie Dress

Latex Peter Pan Collar 

Moth Girl Tee

 Unicorn Crest Necklace

A year to remember

Looking back over the past year seems rather strange yet wonderful. I have been given so many amazing opportunities and done so many things which I would never have had the chance to do before. With the year coming to an end I thought I would share my highlights of 2014.

Manchester Fashion Week- April 

The second fashion show I helped out at and helped to make some of the pieces. It gave me a great insight into how it works and the work which goes into preparing for a show. It was an amazing day and in true VauhausXEustratia style, the after party was amazing, as was the after after party, and the after after after party...

Studio Day- May 

As well as fashion shows, Eustratia host events such as the open house day and studio day. Unfortunately I missed the open house day as this was before I started my internship but I was around for studio day. Models have the chance to be shot by photographer Toria Brightside whilst wearing Eustratia and photographers shoot Vauhaus model hazel, a great opportunity for models and photographers to build their portfolios. 

Disney Shoot- May 

As well as interning for Eustratia, this year I have had the chance to try my hand at a few other things too, one of them being styling. I assisted on a shoot for the Disney Gold Label collection, a range of luxury scarfs, pashminas, throws and cushions. I helped to put the female outfits together and assisted with the men's shots on the day. This was a great day all round and the team were a pleasure to work with. Photographer: John Clarke

German Fetish Ball, Berlin- June

The German Fetish Weekend has been Europes biggest fetish weekend for over a decade, hosting a variety of events including the German Fetish Ball featuring performances from fetish and burlesque acts and fashion shows from a number of latex designers. As well as exploring this amazing city, we also took part in what must be be Eustratias hottest show to date (30+ degrees!). Take me back to Berlin...

Eustratia Jewellery Range- August

I was really pleased to be part of developing the new jewellery range for Eustratia, helping to source suppliers for producing the range and putting together the final pieces. You can view the full range here.

Cyberdog 'Cyberween' shoot- October 

Another chance to try my hand at styling, I was asked to help out with future fashion label Cyberdog's halloween shoot. I had an absolute blast working with this amazing team. Shot by Ryan and Kaz at Andrew Woods Photography. 

As well as all the amazing events, I have loved being part of Eustratia, learning how to make Stacey's amazing creations and generally assisting in any way I can. Through my internship I have met so many amazing people, some on a professional level and some who have now become good friends. 2014, you have been amazing, bring on 2015! 

It's show time!

It's been a busy few weeks over at Eustratia house getting the final preparations ready for the Fashion and Lifestyle Exhibition this weekend at Event City, Trafford. We will be headlining with a unique fantasy fashion show featuring models from the fabulous Vauhaus agency.

  

As well as getting everything ready for the show, we've been busy getting ready for our stall, where you can purchase items and find out about the after party we're throwing with Vauhaus. 

This year, my family holiday has come at a rather unfortunate time, the week before the show! However, being the good little intern I am, I've taken some prep work with me.

I've been making jewellery ready for the stand. Luckily I've got a great work space in the 

cottage I'm staying in and it's been nice and cosy with the fire on. Fortunately I'm back the day before the exhibition so I will around to help out all weekend. 

In between working and relaxing, I've been out to see some of the local attractions here in Northumberland, including this amazing medieval castle, complete with dungeon and torture room. 

I'm really excited for the exhibition which is expected to attract over 15,000 people and the after party is sure not to disappoint! At least I will be well rested after my relaxing holiday ready for a busy busy couple of days. 

Introducing: Eustratia

The brand, the designer, the latex

I've followed Eustratia for a number of years. In fact me and Stacey (founder, designer, creative director, general wonder woman) discussed an internship around 3 years ago. Although I was aware of Stacey's amazing creations, working with or even wearing latex was something completely new to me but something I had been intrigued by. For those of you who arn't familiar with Eustratia...

Model: Kelly Image: Winterwolf Studios

Eustratia specialises in latex clothing, although have recently released fabric range. All items are handmade in the UK using quality materials to create visually stunning pieces which you won't find else where. Stacey's creative vision really shines through in her work with her unique designs, drawing inspiration from both the past and future.

"I'm interested in creating beautiful items that transcend the fashion/fetish/costume/art labels and satisfy me creatively, while also appealing to others and becoming items to cherish and wear with pride for years to come. I enjoy trends and fashion but I prefer clothes that are versatile and can be carried forward from season to season, I therefore aim to achieve a unique but timeless quality within my work...

The Eustratia vision is aimed towards individuals who wish to express themselves through their appearance, amplifying their beauty and enhancing their personality in order to convey a message." Stacey Black.

Model: Biomechanina Image: Aesthetic Contradiction

From working with Stacey, I have personally begun to see latex in a whole new way. Latex clothing is often associated with the fetish scene, but Eustratia shows how there is so much more to it. In recent times, latex has been seen much more in popular media, with celebrity fans such as Lady Gaga, Daisy Lowe and Kylie and designers such as Burberry featuring it in their A/W 13 collection. Across the Eustratia collections there is a combination of show stopping pieces that make an impact and pieces which are extremely wearable, my current favourite being the swing skirt.

Image: Rik Ayres Photography

I believe that it is a truly wearable fabric and have enjoyed incorporating latex into my everyday wardrobe, especially with accessories, as well as wearing full outfits for shows and events. It is surprisingly flattering, pulling you in in all the places you want it to. With pieces such as the swing skirt, I find it drapes beautifully, much better than fabric and pvc versions I have seen. 

Aside from latex, Eustratia also offers a jewellery range, making it easier to get a little bit of Eustratia into your outfit. I will cover the jewellery range (and the part I played in it) as well as the new fabric range in more detail in a future post.

Not only from a design point of view but also from a business perspective I have found Stacey to be a huge inspiration. She set up Eustratia in 2011 and the brand continues to go from strength to strength, with shows at the German Fetish Ball, Manchester Fashion Week and the upcoming Fashion and Lifestyle Exhibition at Event City to name but a few, as well as studio days and open house events. Stacey's work ethos really shows through in the results she achieves. I've never known anyone to work so hard and so much, I'm not entirely sure she's human.

You can have a look at Eustratia's fabulous collections here, follow on Facebook and keep up to date with Stacey's blog here.