Mange la Mode

Shoko and the Chartreuse Chair

benson@mangelamode.com — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 19:41:19 GMT

The Arsenic & Black Lace collection continues to gain attention from all quarters. The one thing that I have been asked time and time again is why I didn't make the dresses in a less sheer lace.So listening to my clients I went looking for new laces. This lace is patterned like old Victorian Wallpaper. We affectionately call it the "Wallpaper Lace"

This is Belladonna done up in the "Wallpaper Lace"! I have also used one of our 3 alternate trims!

The Model is Shoko Seigfried. I met her in Austin at a Chinese Buffet were she was waiting tables. She has been brilliant from the get go. I must say that she improves with every shoot. The images in the crazy flashing Gif are taken by Jennifer Woys, who has been assisting me for a good while. The final Freeze-Frame image was shot by me

Simple Image Update

benson@mangelamode.com — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 05:17:18 GMT

Some new Images!

I will be sure to do a full update or 10 soon!

Shoko in Japan from International Superstars Collection

Esther in Black Cherry Blossom from Arsenic & Black Lace collection

benson@mangelamode.com — Mon, 24 Mar 2008 03:55:54 GMT

Here are the three cocktail dresses, from the International Superstars Collection, that were test shot a week or so ago. We plan to have this collection up on the website by mid May!

China

Japan

Scots Highlands

The styling and makeup for the website as well as for media placement will be similar but much more theatrical!

The Industry Reunion Fashion Show

benson@mangelamode.com — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 22:36:32 GMT

Wishing You and Yours the Season's Best!

benson@mangelamode.com — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 23:13:34 GMT

AT LAST, AT LAST!

benson@mangelamode.com — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:51:34 GMT

The Swarovski Crystal Commercial!

Enjoy!

Here is the new Swarovski Crystal Ad that Mange la Mode designed dresses for!

This is the very first MOTION PICTURE advertising ever shot for Swarovski Crystal by director Dustin Robertson, aka AVIDDIVA. It was directed,executive produced, edited and soundtracked with ORIGINAL music created by Dustin Robertson. It was produced by Thomai Hatsios of Metahara Presents. I still have to catch my breath every time I view this!

Edit to Add: Sunday, March 23, 2008

Sadly the Swarovski Video was deleted from Youtube. We will be looking for other ways to share it with you all!

:::::: Halloween Sale! ::::::

benson@mangelamode.com — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 17:22:35 GMT

Be Witched and Be Wilder!

In commemoration of the designer’s favorite holiday, Mange la Mode is having a gargantuan sale! Every garment in the Arsenic & Black Lace collection has been fiendishly slashed. You can practically own one for a scream!

Short dresses are offered for a frighteningly low $65.00 per dress. benson has also cast a spell on the medium and long styles; they are now available to all Enchantresses at the magically low price of $75.00 to $95.00 per dress! We have not forgotten our devilishly handsome gentlemen clients either. Until Halloween, all of the men’s garments from the Arsenic & Black Lace assemblage are 33% off!

If you would like to wrap yourself in one of our bewitching and bewildering creations in time to celebrate Halloween, you will need to place your order by October 21, 2007.

Mange la Mode wishes you a Haunting, Happy and Safe Holiday

shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

benson@mangelamode.com — Sun, 23 Sep 2007 21:44:33 GMT

A Sneak Peak at the New Tier 3 Arsenic & Black Lace dresses

P.S. keep an eye on MLM for the BIG HALLOWEEN SALE starting October 1, 2007

Moonseed

benson@mangelamode.com — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 21:29:52 GMT

MOONSEED
Menispermum candens

Moonseed is a woody vine with clusters of several small fruits, or drupes, which resemble grapes. It is native to eastern North America where it is found in woods and hedges, but fortunately not commonly. The key to recognizing moonseed drupes is that they have only one large crescent-shaped seed, while grapes have many seeds. These drupes are poisonous, producing severe abdominal pain. Paralysis and fatalities have also been reported.

Here is Danielle Von in Moonseed from The Arsenic & Black Lace Collection. Like it's name sake, Danielle leaves onlookers paralyzed by her sheer magnificence in this dress. It is constructed of high quality 4-way stretch lace. Danielle has only shot with me twice. She has grown from a shy Texan Girl into a Powerful Woman. The first time that Dani wore one of these lace dresses she was nearly faint with fear at being in something so sexy and so obviously revealing. She says that her comfort level with both her body and her beauty has increased with the experience of modeling this collection. The dresses can be worn with slips, liners (available soon from MLM) and bra and panties as well as just with briefs. It is such a blessing to get to work with such a stunning and genuinely sweet Lady!

MOONSEED

Sarin

benson@mangelamode.com — Tue, 24 Jul 2007 14:38:45 GMT

SARIN

Like other nerve agents, Sarin attacks the nervous system of a living organism. Sarin, also known by its NATO designation of GB, (O-Isopropyl methylphosphonofluoridate) is an extremely toxic substance whose sole application is as a nerve agent. As a chemical weapon, it is classified as a weapon of mass destruction by the United Nations in UN Resolution 687. Production and stockpiling of Sarin was outlawed by the Chemical Weapons Convention of 1993.

This is Matt Blum in Sarin one of the four/4 styles featuring tortured PVC from the Arsenic& Black Lace Collection.......I met Matt in Dearborn MI.....Actually I damned near ran him down as he whizzed by on his skate board........Matt is the singer and guitar play for Detroit area punk band Still Never Fading as well as working on his own musical projects......I could clearly see that Matt Blum had features that belonged in a magazine even as we passed each other at 60 mph.......I got T.V. eye what can I say?........ I flipped Matt one of my partner's business cards (note to self ALWAYS keep extra cards in the wallet man) and threatened to stalk him if he didn't call!..........He rang me up the next morning and we were able to negotiate a shooting time........We ended up shooting at The Henry Ford Mansion in Dearborn as it was a) close and b) has many types of architecture from which to choose .........We found some huge pipes near the old pool room............Matt turned his obvious charms on as he warmed u p for the camera.....Laser like eyes and a Nuclear Furnace attitude combined for some sexy sassy images.......Matt you almost broke my heart on this shoot

With out further ado Matt Blum in

SARIN

Curiouser and Curiouser!

benson@mangelamode.com — Thu, 17 May 2007 23:56:36 GMT

The ever wondrous Soduku Master and Purveyor of Japanese POP Culture psifire has revamped and re vibed the Mange la Mode website!

go- look- tinker- play -shop -buy!

We now offer FREE SHIPPING on all purchases big and small!

V2.0 really rocks!

Now with 42% More Fabulousness!

Check List

benson@mangelamode.com — Mon, 07 May 2007 14:56:56 GMT

3 couture gowns for "Big Commercial being filmed by BIG Director and produced by RISING STAR Producer - Check
3 custom undergarments for dresses for commercial - Check
New Business Cards for Partners and Sales for C13 - Check
78 black fishnet dresses of varying lengths and styles cut - Check
Half of those dresses serged and ready for finishes - Check
78 black stretch lace dresses of varying lengths and styles cut - half Check
Garment labels designed by Genius Partner - Check
Garment Labels ordered - Check
Size tags ordered - Check
more size tags being resourced - Check
V2.0 of MLM being readied by Wunderkind Web Developer for C13 - Check
Flights booked - Check
Shirts skirts gowns bustles corsets suits planes trains and automobiles being made by STUPENDOUS studio assistant - Check
benson resting and pacing himself as to avoid heat attacks gas attacks panic attacks and asthma/asphyxia attacks - Check

soaked shaved bathed fed coffeed juiced e-mail checked - Check - Check - Check - Check and - Check

New From the House of Mange la Mode

benson@mangelamode.com — Sat, 05 May 2007 14:43:37 GMT

Nifty new Business card designs!

The move to NYC proceeds apace.........Now if I could just manage to pick up the pace!

New Fashions

benson@mangelamode.com — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 01:51:09 GMT

Meltdown

benson@mangelamode.com — Fri, 02 Mar 2007 17:18:26 GMT

CHERNOBYL

from the Arsenic & Black Lace collection

This is one of Mange la Mode's newest models wearing Chernobyl. Markhollan has a fitness modeling background with a nice heavy dose of training in the theater. Markhollan brings a repertoire of smoldering good looks and a playful sexy energy to the set. He is a firm mixture of Texan Country Boy Next Door and Bad Boy Rock Star. We shot this set on a cold damp morning in Austin on location in an old abandoned feed house. Markhollan raised the temperature with his energy and drive. Chernobyl is from the menswear side of Arsenic & Black Lace. Named after the most infamous nuclear meltdown which happened in 1986 in Chernobyl Russia. Every garment in the collection is named after a poison or a toxin in keeping with the theme. Pretty things that are deadly, a statement about the effect of the garments, on the public, when worn by my clients. I named these Chernobyl because the fabric is actually the result of a meltdown. It started as a nice leather grain Patent PVC. I washed the fabric to prepare it for manufacture and gave instruction that it could indeed go into a dryer but on the low heat cycle and only for 5 minutes. The PVC spent 20 minutes in medium heat. While parts of the fabric were ruined beyond usability there was a good section that ended up looking like scorched black earth. Hence the name.

Here is a close up detail shot of the pant. I think that its resemblance to scorched earth is amazing. I will begin testing, in a controlled manner, techniques for achieving this effect without ruining any of the fabric. If it becomes clear that it is a matter of sacrificing 40% of a bolt to get this look I am prepared to do it. The texture on this is worth that much to me.

Arsenic & Black Lace will debut on the Mange la Mode website on March 15, 2007

Explosion

benson@mangelamode.com — Mon, 18 Dec 2006 02:55:30 GMT

I have had a minor explosion here in my workspace.........Too much fabric and too many new tools & supplies in too small a space are always a calamity.......

Here is a small section of the fabric in my little bitty 8'x11' studio space

Here is the mess left in studio when I decided that a reorganization was mandated

The explosion was SO BAD that it flung garments and sewing machines into my living quarters..........

With any luck at all I will have this horrid mess cleaned and sorted by mid morning Monday............

About Lace...........

benson@mangelamode.com — Thu, 13 Jul 2006 17:28:08 GMT

Lace is one of those fabrics that is difficult to work with........Add stretch to the equation and the level of challenge soars.........However with the onset of Stretch Lace new garment possibilities were brought into play........Any fabric mixed with Lycra automatically becomes a fabric that no longer needs to be tailored to fit......Stretch fabrics allow the wearer's body contours to author and inform the fit and flow of the garment........Of course while certain tailoring tricks are no longer required......Knowing HOW to cut the stretch fabric to best utilize its properties is a must........One of my Pet Peeves is seeing a dress or gown, made of stretch fabrics, on which the lower back is baggy........Any woman who has a nice bottom can tell you that once the fabric has molded itself to her lower half it most often leaves the waist and lower back a baggy mess.......I have developed a method of cutting my stretch fabric dresses and gowns which allows them to adhere to the contours of the body...........Here is Dy Darkthorn in one of the New dresses from the Arsenic and Black Lace collection.........This is a tank cut dress featuring a fitted torso which flows into a trumpet bottom........Lavish use of godets in a gown or dress, to create a trumpet, tulip or fishtail is one of my favorite luxury touches!

HEMLOCK

Model: Dy Darkthorn
Hair: April Rose
Photography/Makeup/Styling /Dress: benson

Sunshine Saturday

benson@mangelamode.com — Sat, 08 Jul 2006 18:01:29 GMT

A quiet Saturday.........When one is self employed in the arts one must know when to rest and or play.........I re-scheduled all of the events for Saturday and Sunday...........It has been a very busy month.......Time to re-group and spend the day breathing!

This coming week is going to be a blockbuster..........Weather willing we will shoot both Tuesday and Wednesday ............ In the mean time I am off for a long hot beauty bath!

RAINY DAY WEDNESDAYS

benson@mangelamode.com — Thu, 06 Jul 2006 18:02:59 GMT

So we were rained out yesterday..........The only truly bad thing about location shots is that we are completely at the whim of the weather............I had 4 very lonely dresses, a stranded hair dresser, 2 models with frowns and a set of interns who had been worked ragged to get the shoot ready............We will try again this coming Saturday or Sunday in the morning!

That is show business folks!

SEW SEW SEW SEW

benson@mangelamode.com — Wed, 05 Jul 2006 20:51:50 GMT

I am here today in the studio with the interns Alisa and Alex...........We are pumping on full steam.........Today we are scheduled to shoot the next 4 new dresses from my Arsenic & Black Lace dress collection......We are racing a clock to get all 4 of the garments for today's shoot in order...........Alisa has been fighting with a zipper all afternoon.........I have given her permission to throw it on the floor and stomp on it a few times to show it who the BOSS is!.......I have been hemming and detail stitching like a hooker.........Selling my skills to the man!

Weather is supposed to close in and bring a storm.......it is a perfect 50% chance.........in Texas those odds are not in our favor............

between sips of coffee and the occasional pause to collect my thoughts I look at the work and design and am really just pleased as punch with myself and my team........

Pictures later!

! INPUT Please !

benson@mangelamode.com — Sun, 02 Jul 2006 21:01:16 GMT

I have decided to link this Live Journal blog to my URL.......I am looking for imput from those of you that have been kind enough and interested enough to be readers here.......

What sorts of things in this blog have interested you?

What sorts of things did you not enjoy reading?

Is there anything that you think I could include in this blog to make it more interesting and riveting to read?

Do you enjoy the behind the scenes look into the manufacture of garments?

Do you enjoy Back Stage looks at photo shoots or just the finished polished product?

Do I ramble too much about the creative process?

Do I not write enough about the creative process?

Should every entry have images or do you enjoy text only entries?

Would information about sales, specials or promotions make this blog less interesting?

Scotty what are the chances of implanting the MLM style codes into this blog?

I appreciate and thank you all in advance!

Steamed

benson@mangelamode.com — Thu, 25 May 2006 01:48:28 GMT

I went to bed last night with a smile on my face.......After a too long hiatus I have begun the process of adding new garments to Mange la Mode........It was frustrating realizing how much of the FTP protocol I had forgotten......I struggled with the MLM Backroom and the Coffee Cup FTP program and Photoshop but in the end I was able to get the new Dress up........Callisto is modified version of Elphaba......Erin Quinn, who dances with Ballet Austin, has become something of a muse to me....... She pointed out to me that I had no short dresses to speak of in the On Line Collection......At the time she was wearing top selling gown, Elphaba......I pulled an Auntie Mame....."I wonder I woooooooonder?".....Callisto was born!........Callisto is constructed of "rubberized Poly Stretch fabric.......The bra has a lace over lay that is sprinkled with hand sewn 6mm sequins in a flourish of single cup sequins to every flower in the lace pattern.......The garments that use this fabric all get top stitched to show the excellent seam work!..........With out further ado.........Here is Ms. Quinn in Callisto!

::::Blue Flaming Fashion::::

benson@mangelamode.com — Mon, 26 Sep 2005 19:09:21 GMT

This is KaLia wearing one of the more whimsical shirt designs from MLM.....It is a basic Poet's Blouse made with 100% cotton....It has a body made of an excellent grade black shirting......It has sleeves and a collar fabricated from an awesome flame print shirting.....The cuffs are detailed with a nice trim of cotton ruffle.....Nickel eyelets and lacers complete this garment.....We had a seriously hard time finding just the right color background to shoot this against.....I had used Kevin against a light brick background with chrome windows.....The shirt just didn't "PoP".....I envisioned it re-shot against a bright hunter orange....We took a tour of the city and happened upon a group of painters who were using JUST the color I wanted.....I gave them $5 bucks to do this corner while my crew all had coffee.....The results definitely work for me!

KaLia

benson@mangelamode.com — Mon, 19 Sep 2005 16:48:28 GMT

This is KaLia one of Mange la Mode's newest models.......KaLia has a background in the theater......He doesn't so much pose for the camera ....It is more like he assumes a character and I catch that with the lens.......KaLia was in a horrid auto accident that nearly killed him 2 years ago.......His pelvis was crushed and his heart damaged......We discussed what to do about the scars that the many operations have left him with.....In the end KaLia agreed to bravely show his body as it is now.......I find his strength and his Spirit to be amazing!

I hope you enjoy

KaLia in Wine Silk Satin French Poet's Blouse

KaLia in Black Crinkled Polyester Coffin Liner Skirt

Purple Purple Purple

benson@mangelamode.com — Thu, 07 Jul 2005 14:34:37 GMT

This is the always wonderful John Quigley....He is an actor from New Hampshire that I have met in Austin Texas.....John works a camera like a pro......He has never had any problem emoting and making me feel exactally what I am looking for......John is wearing my new Purple Victorian style Tuxedo with one of my 4 button fitted vests.....The Tuxedo is constructed of a Plush Velveteen......The vest is Faux Leopard Fur.......The tuxedo is fully tailored and just one of the many suits and tuxedos that I have planned for the collection.......I hope you enjoy the image as much as we enjoyed making it!.....This was our last Austin shoot, as John has moved back to New Hampshire.......We do plan to work together again out on the East Coast!