This week on the Sewing Bee was all about design icons. There were designer wrap dresses, punk-themed transformations and a made to measure inspired by avant-garde Versace runways.
There were some seriously cool makes this week – read on for our little summary!
The pattern challenge
This week’s pattern inspiration was the iconic Diane Von Furstenberg wrap dress. A timeless classic, it’s instantly recognisable. I bought a second hand one many years ago, and absolutely loved it. It has an elegant shape, but the jersey fabric also provides wearable comfort.
Sewing with stretch jersey fabric also provided another challenge for the sewists, and an opportunity to try out their overlocking skills. As always with the pattern challenge, fabric choice makes a huge difference, and I love to see the different versions developing from the same pattern.
The transformation
The sewists were given various home furnishings, and asked to turn them into punky pieces inspired by the icon Vivienne Westwood.
I’m so glad the Bee chose to focus on Westwood. A hugely influential artist, she drove fashion forward with her unique style and aesthetic, tapping into the social and political context of the time. Naturally, there was much tartan – instantly recognisable as VW punk!
The made to measure
Chic, sexy and opulent, Versace embodies classic runway fashion. It reminds me of pouring over old Vogue magazines as a teenager, mesmerised by the dresses and wondering how to recreate them (not that I’d have had anywhere to wear one!)
There were some creative takes on Versace fashion this week, with the winner finding inspiration in a risque Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz piece. Not what I’d have imagined, but that’s the fun of the Bee!
What’s happening next week?
Tune in at 9pm on Tuesday 5th August to see the fourth episode of the Bee, where they’re celebrating Korea with sewing challenges inspired by the jeogori, tae kwon do and cheollik.
Want to sew along with the Bee?
The Sewing Bee always inspires people to start creating their own wardrobe. Seeing the contestants experimenting with different fabrics and styles is a lovely way to think about how you might tackle your own projects.
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