Sunflower Mesh Babydoll: Part Two

As promised, here is the new version of the Sunflower Mesh Babydoll with padded bra cups. I am truly in love with this piece & I can't wait to photograph it on a model! *___* I actually NEVER sewn a padded bra before so this was a first for me. Before I actually started sewing I did a little google research & found this tutorial online - Making a Foam Cup Bra. I quickly skimmed the blog posts, cut my bra cups & started sewing!

I only had enough bra padding for one set of bra cups so if I messed up I would have completely fucked myself over haha. Luckily I think I've acquired enough skill to wing it but if you want to try to sew your own padded bra, I'd highly recommend sewing a sample before actually using your final fabric. 

Here is a photo of what the padded bra looks like on the inside of the Sunflower Mesh Babydoll. When sewing padded bra cups you have the option to cover up the padded bra seam so for me, I created my very own seam tape out of the same sunflower fabric as the dress itself. I personally love when you get snippets of the self fabric on the inside of the garment. It's a truly unexpected treasure. Not sure if anyone else notices things like this but I do. 

Here is another example of me utilizing the materials I already had by creating bra straps using the same sunflower fabric. When creating any garment I would suggest try working with as little materials or supplies. This will not only reduce your overall cost but it will keep you thinking on your feet. 

This is what the non padded version of the Sunflower Mesh Dress looks like. The top of the bra cups are finished differently but look pretty much the same.

Here are both versions of the Sunflower Mesh Babydoll. Non padded (on the left) & padded (on the right). Which is your favorite? 

I feel like a lot of people are unaware of how a small my business is so I am thinking of doing more informative/ behind the scenes posts like this with possibly more detail. Would you babes be interested in more posts like this?

Shop: Sunflower Mesh Babydoll

Vanessa V

www.alexandreanissa.com

Botanical Boudoir

There's nothing quite like shimmering light playing on your windowsill, so why go anywhere else? Let our perfect pinks & flirty florals be what's hugging your curves. After all, just because you're awake doesn't mean you ever need to leave your bedroom...

Hey Babes! I recently had the amazing opportunity to work with well known photograph Tamara Lichtenstein & I was able to photograph the very first black model for my brand. *___*  This was a huge deal & such an amazing opportunity for me because I strive to show diversity within my designs, size range & lookbooks! I think it's important to show the world lingerie can be worn by everybody & every body. Do you agree?

I was so happy the photos turned out so dreamy. The fuchsia color pops so much on model Lydia Ezeakor's skin. She is truly a gem!

Photos: Tamara Lichtenstein / Model: Lydia Ezeakor (@sunnyydaze)

Shop: Fawn Lace Balconette Bra, Fawn Mesh Garter Skirt, Fawn Mesh Panty, Sheena Bralette - Floral & Sheena High Waist Keyhole Mesh Panty

View the Lookbook: Botanical Boudoir

Vanessa V

www.alexandreanissa.com

Sunflower Mesh Babydoll: Part One

I personally love shopping at local Goodwills or thrift stores. Most of the time you can find at least one good item. Luckily I was able to find about 2.5 yards of this beautiful sunflower print cotton fabric. Right away I knew I wanted to create a babydoll style dress or attempt to create one of those cute bralettes TopShop is always selling but I loved my dress idea more haha.

For the Sunflower Mesh Babydoll I decided to sew a cropped version of a longline style bra with baclonette bra cups & a sweetly sexy peek-a-boo keyhole back closure. The dress falls just above the knee & features a full mesh skirt. I thought about adding boning to the princess seams, maybe even a button placket & a lining but I thought I should probably fit this sunny little number before I play around with construction details. 

I posted this photo on Instagram & got an incredible amount of feedback. So last night I took the time & sewed a new version of the Sunflower Mesh Babydoll featuring padded bra cups & a knit slip underneath so you babes can actually wear this out. I will be photographing & listing the Sunflower Mesh Babydoll later today. This dress will be extremely limited in quantity so I will be signing & numbering each dress that is purchased. Only about 8 - 10 will me made & in existence. And yes I am going to make one for myself haha! Be sure to keep checking back for updates.

Thanks to everyone who reads my blog & leaves me comments. Truly means a lot!

Polaroid of my Sunflower Mesh Babydoll.

Vanessa V

www.alexandreanissa.com

Behind the Scenes: Heartbreaker

Brooklyn still has my heart! Here are some behind the scenes photos from my second official photoshoot in New York with mega babe Laura Du Ve & Hana Haley. Typically I have about 3 months to plan my photoshoots but for this one I only had about 2 weeks to come up with a concept, cut, sew & ship the garments from California to New York. So crazy haha! >___< I was definitely overwhelmed with the amount of work I already had & had to squeeze into my schedule but so far I am extremely pleased with the outcome!

My ultimate goal this year was to photograph more woman of all shapes, sizes & color. As a designer I have a vision in my head of how I want my brand to be introduced to the world (first impressions are EVERYTHING) & so finding the right models is extremely crucial for me. I was estatitic when model Laura Du Ve contacted me for a possible collaboration. I fell in love with her earlier this year through Hopeless Lingerie's social media feed & instantly followed! So working with Laura was a treat even if I only met her virtually haha. Since Laura visited New York after I had left back to California, I wasn't able to attend the actual photoshoot but we face timed & everything turned out beautifully. *___*

My inspiration for this shoot was Pop Art & vintage Pulp Art. I wanted to create a storyline based around the idea of the "Crying Girl" by Roy Lichtenstein. For me & many of my close friends, the past couple of months seem to have been hell for us when it comes to relationships so I wanted to make sure that although this shoot was unexpected it still was attached to me personally.  

The lingerie set above is an unreleased set so if you would like to get your claws on this sassy little number please head over to my shop & sign up for my newsletter so you don't miss out on my next dreamy launch! What are your thoughts on model diversity in the lingerie industry?

Shop: Fawn Lace Bralette, Crimson Mesh Babydoll, Crimson High Waist Mesh Panty

View the Lookbook: Heartbreaker

Vanessa V
www.alexandreanissa.com

Legacy of Brutality

Hey Babes! I recently made a couple more t-shirt shorts this time in a size L & XL. There is only one of each so be sure to purchase them here before they sell out. I can't say when I will be remaking anymore shorts. I was kind of hoping maybe in a month or so I can just stock up on a bunch of t-shirts, make an abundance of shorts, possibly create matching bras, do a mini photoshoot & release them via my shop. Sounds a bit crazy but it's definitely worth trying. I guess it would be sweet to photograph something other than lingerie.... we will see.

Thoughts on these t-shirt shorts?

Shop: Legacy of Brutality T-Shirt Shorts

Vanessa V
www.alexandreanissa.com

Sleeping Butterflies

No matter how many hours I spend cleaning & organizing my room, I still feel like I have too much stuff. ;___; This process is never ending! While cleaning & organizing my room, I did although came across an old ruffled top I bought when I was like 19. Instead of donating it to Goodwill, I decided I would reuse the fabric for a dreamy sleep set because someone deserves to look cut while sleeping aside from me haha.

With the fabric I was able to salvage from this top, I created a sleeping masking, ruffled bralette & ruffled thong. My sleeping mask is okay, please don't judge my sewing haha! That was the first ever sleep mask I made in my life & for some reason my curved seams turned out really pointy & gross haha. I haven't sewn with a woven fabric in ages so I think I should probably should practice a bit more before I dive into designing more dreamy sleep masks. 

I planned on sewing a size small bralette but I forgot this style bralette usually turns out smaller than I plan so it's now a XS haha. But that's okay! It still looks cute & it would be beautiful on one of you petite bodied babes! As for the panty I created a size small string thong embellished with my signature bows. All these garments expect for the sleeping mask are finished with a beautiful rolled edge. 

What are your thoughts on repurposing old garments for handmade lingerie? 

Shop: Sleeping Butterflies Lingerie Set

Vanessa V
www.alexandreanissa.com