Very excited to have been invited to showcase Mollie Sash

at the British Ambassador’s Residence in Paris.

The two day visit organised by UK Trade and Investment will celebrate

the best of Yorkshire design and craftsmanship ahead of Le Grand Depart.

I just love the theatricality of the Marc Jacobs Fall 2012/2013 womenswear show for Louis Vuitton.

A deep blue and gold LV liveried train drew into the set of a station at the Cour Caree du Louvre amid clouds of smoke and blowing whistles. Models were seated in pairs within the train, as they emerged from their carriages there were uniformed porters on hand to carry their hat boxes, weekend bags and “petite valises”. The silhouetttes were simple but the fabrics were sumptous, a fabulous array of jacquards, brocades, lame and fancy tweeds, with more than a sprinkling of sparkle. Elaborate bejewelled buttons adorned the coats, dresses and bags. The models looked like they had just stepped out of the last century in their oversized cloche inspired hats. The whole show exuded the feeling of heritage and craftsmanship that the brand embodies. It truly recalled “The golden Age Of Travel”.

Wuthering Heights Cover by Celia Birtwell

At christmas I was given this beautiful edition of Wuthering Heights. The fabric cover by  iconic textile designer Celia Birtwell captures the essence of this wonderfully bleak novel. The shades of grey depict the shadowy trees knarled and twisted branches weathered and worn by the icy cold north winds.

Last week when the wind was howling and the rain was lashing violently against the windows it created the perfect setting and atmosphere in which to read Emily Bronte’s gothic tale. The wild and mysterious moors of the West Riding are the setting for this unforgettably dark and tragic novel which tells the tale of love as a destructive force. I doubt that this novel could have been written anywhere else. Woven into it are the inhabitants, the customs and the hauntingly wild moorland landscape of Yorkshire.

Heathcliff played by Tom Brady

Wuthering Heights - Cathy played by Charlotte Riley

The misty storm lashed Yorkshire landscapes have inspired many of my designs in the same way they inspired the Bronte novels and therefore it seemed fitting to name my hats after the  writers and characters from the novels.

Cathy hat by Mollie Sash

Emily hat by Mollie Sash

These are my first ever attempts at pumpkin carving!

The Witch’s Cauldron

The Witch’s Cauldron

Double, double toil and trouble
Fire burn and cauldron bubble
Eye of newt, and toe of frog
wool of bat and tongue of dog
Shakespeare’s Macbeth

Haunted House

Jalan Kajeng Ubud

Whilst in Bali in the Summer we were intrigued by a sign at the end of one of the streets, which promised the most beautiful rice field walk in Ubud. Hoping to photograph some dramatic terraced paddy fields we followed the sign and found ourselves in a charming little side street called Jalan Kajeng, which is home to many guesthouses, restaurants and shops. We made our way slowly down the narrow lane stopping to read the inscriptions on the paving squares (you can buy a square and a local artist will decorate it with your own design or message). We carefully avoided the offerings of flowers, incense and rice on little palm leaf plates which are left daily outside temples, homes and shops. Heavily laden motorbikes were zipping up and down weaving in and out of dogs and pedestrians.

At the far end of the street we came across an amazing textile gallery Threads of Life which showcases Indonesian textiles. But as I was to discover it is so much more than a gallery, it is a fairtrade organisation which sponsors the production of naturally dyed, handmade ritual textiles from over 40 co-operatives on 11 Indonesian Islands.

As most of the weavers are in remote regions and don’t have access to modern communications, field visits are made during the dry season (April – October). During these visits research is carried out into the meaning and the use of these textiles and by supporting the continuation of these traditions they ensure that the skills are passed to future generations. Pieces are purchased and commissioned for sale in the gallery. The proceeds are used to help weavers form independent co-operatives and manage their resources sustainably.

Many Indonesian textiles are produced using the ikat process. Ikat is a Malay word which literally means to tie or bind. The technique involves dyeing the motifs onto the threads before they are woven. By binding groups of threads with palm leaf fibre they resist the subsequent dyeing, while unbound areas take up the dye. It is effectively a tie and dye technique.

The colouring of most traditional Indonesian ikat fabrics are dictated by the dyestuffs available in the forest. I love the beautiful shades which can be derived from vegetable dyes, vivid reds and blues, blacks, purples and rich browns. Using only indigo blue and morinda red a wide range of bright and muted shades can be achieved. By repeated dyeing and the manipulation of the mordant recipes (substance for fixing the dye) a vast array of shades can be developed. Colourfast greens and yellows are difficult to produce and are therefore less common.

We never did get to do the rice field walk in Ubud. Maybe another time! But here are a few shots of the terraced rice fields in Batuan and near Tirta Gangga in Eastern Bali.