What inspires you?

Remember I said I had no background in fashion and this is a BRAND new venture for me? In the spirit of not being a complete moron about it, I attended a basic fashion flat drawing class organized by G Street Fabrics in Falls Church, Virginia, this past weekend. My challenge: translating the beautiful designs in my head onto paper in some sort of legible form so the tailors have some way of understanding me! (I've spent my life focused on writing and photography - not drawing!) The six hour class was taught by a beautiful fashion designer named Raia Kaouk, who is getting her start in the U.S. after being trained in her home country and spending time in Paris for training. She gave the 6 of us in the class a great overview of the basics of drawing, inspiring us with her portfolio, which includes her wedding dress! She was inspired by Louis XVI (so we already have a lot in common... I'm inspired by Louis, too... Louis Vuitton!)

The key is to find a source of inspiration for fashion design. I found my inspiration in the silks and golds and lushness of Indian sarees and India itself. I'd like to share more of this inspiration with you in my upcoming posts. And I'd LOVE to hear from you - what inspires you? What inspires your clothing choices, your home decor, your travel, your work, your creativity? Please share with all of us by commenting to this blog post. And enjoy some of these photos from the Jaya Designs spring 2010 collection - called "Maharajah" - thanks! Find more at http://www.jayadesigns.net/

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