For my DIY Chanel jacket bouclé I am turning to Mood Designer Fabrics, which has stores in Manhattan and L.A., and also a website. I have visited the bouclé section of Mood in the Garment District in Manhattan several times. It goes for the better part of a long aisle, shelves filled from floor to ceiling with bolts of the most lovely bouclé. Todd Kelly, one of the very friendly and knowledgeable staffers there, told me plenty of bouclé Mood carries comes from mills in Italy and France and is created by designers such as Oscar de la Renta, Marc Jacobs, and Carolina Herrera.
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| This fabric is available at Mood in NYC, but not online. |
The three swatches I have narrowed it down to are all by Oscar de la Renta (I love Oscar!), and all are $40 a yard. I’m a little partial to the black bouclé shown in the last picture, with off-white threads woven in. Some of the threads are champagne-colored, some are dove gray. The effect is gorgeous.
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| I love the tiny sequins woven into this fabric. |
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| This fabric is my current favorite. |
Of course I want the jacket to be special and the fabric to be unique. I plan on wearing the jacket with jeans or black pants so I’d like to keep the color in the black or blue range. But because it’s my first time sewing a jacket of this kind I don’t want to spend the serious money I’ve read you can drop at a place like Mendel Goldberg, another NYC fabric store, where bouclé can run you (I read over at Frabjous Couture) $300-900. At that price I might as well buy a vintage Chanel jacket and save myself all the trouble. Which could still happen but until I’ve saved up that little pile of cash it’s DIY Chanel all the way.
Which of these three swatches do you like? And if you are sewing this jacket too, where are you getting your fabric?
22 comments:
Gorgeous fabrics...I think the last one is my favourite too:)
~Anne
I second your choice--what are you using for lining?
The first and third options are my favorite. How will you ever choose? And do you run the risk of getting addicted to fabric? Maybe not, at $40 a yard...
Of course, the only way I know Mood is from Project Runway!! I agree with your choice...I would pick the top one in second place, but your choice is unique and will look amazing with jeans or even a great pencil skirt. Can't wait to see it!!
The last one for sure - though they are all lovely, I think you will not only wear the jacket more often in that black fabric, but you won't tire of it. It's so classic and beautiful.
I like the first one with what looks like little bits of ribbon in it. How much of this fabric do you need to purchase?
I like your choice as well. Have been to both store sites - I think I actually prefer L.A. The NYC store's new employee, Meg, used to blog about the Fashion District - great help navigating all the fabric and notion stores when you first visited NYC.
I think your choice is best; I imagined finding three "already made" jackets with those fabrics and wondered which I'd choose if I could only pick one and it was the one you are leaning toward. I also think it's going to be the easiest to work with as a first attempt. If you have great success with this jacket, then you can always make the other two jackets! I'm loving your jacket-making posts -- wonderful topic for a blog, especially considering that most other blogs are only about purchasing things. You're a style hero. Sending best wishes for straight seams, tangle-free thread, and no lost pins.
Oooh, I'm with you on your fabric choice, the one in the last picture really says "Chanel Suit" to me.
I work at a Chanel makeup counter, would you like some Chanel ribbon to sew in your jacket, like a label?
~Laura
peachy_keen22hotmailcom
HI Jil!!!
The third one is my favorite too. The one with sequins might slaughter some needles and the the first fabric may make seams more visible. That's my personal thoughts. Whatever your final choice, you're a brave girl to carry one this project. It will be great!!!
Also, thank you so much for your continuous support to my blog. I will try to shoot the Chanel-inspired look this weekend ^_^
Have a nice day Jill!
xxx
Hang
Oh, Jill this is my cup of tea! I've not been to Mood in a long time! I adore the first and last fabric choice ... bouclé has always been one of my favourites. I have some teal colour bouclé that I still need to create something with. This type of fabric is quite fun for me to sew on, with patience of course, haha! I can't wait to see your finished jacket! :) xx
Hi Anne, are you taking on this project too? XO, Jill
Hi Jane, I haven't found lining yet. I looked at Chic Fabrics, also in the Garment District in NYC, and looked at Mood online, but not in the store. I may go to Mendel Goldberg to see what they have as well. XO, Jill
Hi Rebekah, oh no, no fabric addiction for me! I know I don't have time to sew my entire wardrobe so I'm pretty selective about the actual projects I take on, which makes me behave myself in a fabric store! XO, Jill
Hi Pam, the last time I went to Mood, a few weeks ago, the lobby was filled with people, all waiting to take the elevator up to the store. Apparently Heidi Klum was in the store doing a photo shoot to promote the next season of Project Runway and everybody in the lobby was waiting for her to be finished so they could shop! God I love New York. XO, Jill
Hi Adrienne, yes you've hit on it exactly, I keep looking at fabric and think, Will I be sick of this in 5 years? It's my litmus test. XO, Jill
Hi Terri, yes that blue with the ribbons in it almost did me in. Todd at Mood swatched it for me and I almost just bought some, but made myself have some patience so I could look around a bit longer. I am cutting either a 12 or a 10 (depending on how the muslin fitting goes) so I need a yard and a 1/2. Which is good because everything I've liked so far is $40 a yard (and up). XO, Jill
Hi Judi, oh you are so lucky to have been to both Mood locations to be able to compare. I would love to see Mood in LA, but not sure when that will happen, I only seem to get to California every other year. XO, Jill
Hi V.O., thank you for such sweet compliments and wishes! I have been thinking about which fabric would be easiest to sew with since I am pre-worried about quilting the fashion fabric to the silk lining. So the third one, of the three swatches, seems like it would be the easiest to work with, in addition to being the one I have liked best so far! I do hope this jacket will turn out, otherwise I am going to be looking for a Brooklyn seamstress to help me finish it! XO, Jill
Hi Laura, first, you work at the Chanel makeup counter? Oh, you are so lucky. I love going to mine at the downtown Brooklyn Macy's, just to see what new products they have. I have been wearing my Rouge Coco Shine (in Cavaliere) like mad this summer. It's really a great product. I have been bugging the counter reps about when 'Diwali' (the gold nail polish) is coming out, the last time I asked (at Saks in Manhattan), the rep told me to come back in August or ask at the 57th Street Chanel boutique. I also hope Peter Philips comes out with a blue, I know I spied pale blue polish on the models at the haute couture show back in January. Ah yes, you could say I am a wee bit obsessed with Chanel makeup! I would LOVE some Chanel ribbon to sew into the jacket, a little good luck charm! I will email you! XO, Jill
Hi Hang, girl, I am so glad you weighed in on this decision since I am a big fan of your designs! You know, I didn't even think of the sequins taking out needles on my machine. The magpie in me just said, Oooh, pretty! (Because God knows I love me a sequin.) I am a tad bit worried that the threads in the black fabric will give me a hard time during the quilting, so don't be surprised if I email you asking for expert sewing advice! And yes, please join us for the Chanel-inspired outfit post. I always love to see what you put together. You have a great eye and should be a professional stylist. XO, Jill
Madison my dear, how are you? Are you ready for the Olympics? I am so excited for them! I am so glad to read that you have experience working with boucle. I am adding you to my list of people who can advise me as I work on this project! XO, Jill
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