I am doing a piece for a very impressive lady, for a very fancy gala in Phnom Penh this Friday. The theme of the gala is The 60’s, and since Jackie Kennedy made a famous trip to Cambodia in the 60’s, my client has asked for gown in true Jackie style. This is extremely cool, and extremely out of my wheelhouse.

I have mountains of respect for Jackie, as a Kennedy, an Onassis and as a person without a fancy last name. She was classy on all fronts, and had her own style for days and days. The Jackie look is way past iconic and familiar shapes and colors straight from her playbook pop up on the runway every few years. That being said, I don’t favor pastels, satin, or the demure. I respect when other designers do it, and I like the way it looks, it’s just not really my thing.  Looking for inspiration for the dress was a lot of fun, and the design world’s obsession with all things Jackie made it pretty easy. I wanted to make it a tiny bit more modern, and pulled some inspiration from modern day ladies in throwback styles. I don’t want it to look like an Easter Dress and I have very real fear that it will.  I find out tomorrow.

Designing this dress has been fun, if challenging, and I am looking at it as more of a costume than a gown. For one thing, it’s baby blue and satin. I guess that’s two things.

I bought water color pencils and its good to know that just because I’m 31, it doesn’t mean I have to color inside the lines.

Photos credit: Jackie 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6