Inspirations

Tuesday 2nd October 2012

Indian Inspiration 1 - Gujarat

I love the range of textiles in this photo... and the colours of course.

Tuesday 9th October 2012

Fabulous Felt - Central Asia

This is a close up of a felt floor runner at my friend Kelley's house.  I adore the geometric motifs and the limited colour palette.

I got carried away looking for other examples and found the following pictures. I especially love the interior shot of a three roomed yurt.

  

Wednesday 17th October 2012 

Re-use and Recycle - Pakistan

Dress from Pakistan

Todays inspiraation comes from the Pakistan / Afghan border and is a childs dress made up of componants taken from other items of clothing.  The whole thing is a patchwork of recycled fabrics but I love the way each part contributes to the beauty of the whole.

Sunday 23rd December 2012

Indian Inspiration 2 - Banjara Tribe

As a tribal bellydancer I am well used to piling on the bling. The inspiration for this look comes from the Banjara tribe of India whose spectacular textiles are shown here.

When selecting costuming for American Tribal Style bellydance Carolena Nerricio was heavily influenced by National Geographic magazine and also by the aesthetics of her teacher Masha Archer and her own love of textiles. She chose to make the backless Indian choli a staple element of the look because of the way it flattered every figure and allowed freedom of movement. Here is Wendy Allen of FatChanceBellydance showing how these traditional elements are used in contemporary costuming.