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Here on the FR blog, we will be updating you on projects we are working on, new items for sale in the shop, fashion and sewing trends and will provide answers to your questions =)

So I’ll start off by giving a brief summary of items offered at FireRepublic.com.

Fabric – A wide variety of wax print fabric (and some Batik fabric) sold mostly in 6yd pieces is available i.e. the price you see is for 6yds of fabric. These items can be sewn into anything you can think of: sundresses, gowns, skirts, shirts, pillows, etc. Check out The Rack section and Inspiration page to see more. The fabric can also be used in different crafts.

Artwork – The artwork sold on the site are created by African artisans. Some artists can be commissioned to make a special piece for you.

Jewelry – Some of the jewelry is bought from Africa and others are strung by Fire Republic. We can also custom design pieces to match a particular outfit or color scheme.

The Rack – Here, we put a sundry list of items up for sale. From one-of-a-kind bags made from a mix of fabric to scarves to items of clothing such as tops, skirts and dresses. Other items made from African fabric such as bound journals and chic waste paper bins can be found. Do stop by regularly to see what surprise you might find!

Bespoke Tailoring – Fire Republic can create custom clothes for you. Contact us and tell us about your vision and we will help you make it a reality!

The Policy page gives you more detailed information on sales, shipping and returns.

Do bookmark this blog to get updates on our products and our endeavors. And please, your comments, questions and suggestions are always welcome. Thanks for visiting and go shop!!!!

FR Team

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Dami @ FR

Okay.. this post has been long overdue (at least we're still in August =)

Here are pictures from the Fabric Showcase at the International Festival. FR had a booth to display our wares. I added new clothing combinations to the showcase so that if you were at Artscape, you can see the versatility of an item made from Ankara.

BIG thanks to buky o., andrew o., james o., phillipa o., tobi o. and kwaku e. for all their help at the booth and with the show.

Booth Photos:





The runway pictures are courtesy of Simplicity Photos.



Dami @ FR

Before I get started: I forgot to mention I finally met Cidell of Miss Celies Pants and a good friend of hers at our fabric showcase. She's the one to thank for all this as it was she who notified me of the competition! We had a nice short chat about the showcase, smwyg and wax print fabrics. Maybe we can actually sit down and talk "sewing" one of these days =)


So, the SMWYG competition is long gone. In this post, I'll take you through what I did (and why).

To start, here is the information we were given regarding the judging:

Judging criteria for Round 3: Judges scores will not be numeric and in the event all judges cannot agree, the majority will rule.
1. Unity of entire collection
2. Use and versatility of IKEA fabric
3. Incorporation and diversity of other IKEA materials used
4. Overall creativity

As before, each outfit must be at least 80% IKEA stuff and you should receive NO help with completing your collection.

Okay, so the designs for this round should have really been amped up since the judges know their fashion and will generally differ in opinion from the general public. I made 4 sketches. The final outfits varied to some extent from what I originally planned as I was reeeeaally short on time due to an overseas trip right smack in the middle of the whole thing. So, with only 2 weeks for execution, I thought “simple and to the point!”. What I learned from this competition is that on the runway, subtle effects are not seen so you need to be bold and dramatic. Point DEFINITELY taken!

I made the qualifying outfit the #1 outfit in the collection and went to look for fabric that will go with the styles and fit together as a collection. So, I got the idea of nature: flowers and feathers, and decided to move the colors from black and white to red and white. The last fabric was basically tumbleweed =).

So, here’s the line up with pictures of the “details” I did for each outfit and the slideshow follows after it:

Outfit #1
Dress:
Saralisa in White/Black
Black fabric from personal stash
Button and Black and White Feathers from Joann’s

Detail:
Feathers & Button


Outfit #2
Top:
Kajsa Panel Curtain
Minna Fabric in Bleached

Skirt:
Ikea Stockholm Blad in Gray
Wilma Sheer Curtain in White
Alvine Spets Lace Curtain (bought by the yard)
Black Piping and Hem Binding from Joann’s

Bracelet (originally necklace) from Hultet Bamboo Drape

Hair:
Black and White Feathers from Joann’s

Detail:
Sheer Center Panel Accent


Outfit #3
Dress:
Majken in White/Light Gray/Orange
Gisela in Orange/Red/Pink
Orange Piping from Joann’s

Hair:
Smycka Artificial Sunflower

Detail:
Pleated Front Flap


One sided Pleat and Off Center Slit with Orange Peek-a-boo Panel


Outfit #4
Top:
Wilma Sheer Curtain in White
Alvine Spets Lace Curtain
White Organza from Joann’s

Skirt:
Fredrika in Orange/Red
Gisela in Orange/Red/Pink

Hair:
Dark Orange Feathers from Joann’s

Detail:
Lace Layered in-between Sheer Fabric


Outfit #5
Dress:
Katrin Fabric in Red/White
Gisela in Orange/Red/Pink
Lill Net Curtain
Wilma Sheer Curtain in White

Hair:
Symcka Artificial Hydrangeas
Coils from Hultet Bamboo Drape

Detail:
Molded Paneled Bust


Inverted V-slit to reveal Under Layers


Well, mishaps were not absent =) The zipper on the red dress broke and I had to make a bunny tail (which I hate =) with the tulle under layers to hide it, my models walked on out of sequence, the gray skirt remained hung up no matter how much the model tugged at it while walking and yours truly was frazzled through it all. It was a wonderful experience, nonetheless. Here are the pictures:

Was excited to stumble across this picture of Fergie (front woman of the popular pop band "Black Eyed Peas") rocking an Ankara ensemble.



Here's also another one of the singer, Estelle.



Seems like African wax print fabrics are gaining popularity in Hollywood The stars are rocking it. So what are you waiting for? Get yours today at The Fire Republic Store

Cheers,
Tope @ FR

Fire Republic will be at the International Festival in Baltimore Aug 1 & 2. The festival is open from 12noon - 9pm on both days. We'll be selling fabric, artwork, jewelry etc. So please stop by and check us out! We've also been asked to do our fabric showcase on Sunday at 5pm. We'll introduce some new clothing combinations so stop by to see the fabric in action LIVE!

Here's more information:

International Festival
http://www.ci.baltimore.md.us/ifest/
Poly/Western High School Complex
1400 W Cold Spring Lane,
Baltimore, MD, 21209-4904

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So... the hectic weekend is over! Thank you all for all the love and support. It meant a lot! I was involved in two events last weekend: Our showcase and the Sew Me What You Got competition. This post will cover the showcase.

Since our main thing here at FR is fabric, the aim of the showcase was to show everyone how you can wear "African" fabric and mix it in with your wardrobe (because we all have this thought whenever we think "African fabric". lol!!!) So, taking pieces from my and my sisters' wardrobes, I put together a show.

I also used jewelry from the FR store and some personal pieces.

BIG thanks to onyi i., sylvia m., buky o., andrew o., james o., phillipa o. for all their help with the show.

Below are pictures:



I was bummed I forgot to arrange for video and my camera was in my purse all along but here is the music I used for the runway:

1. Kefee featuring Timaya - Kokoroko

I like the "Hot like Fire" reference =)

2. d' banj - oloun maje


3. Douk Saga - Sagacité - Decalé Coupé

This video is HILARIOUS!


The next post will cover the SMWYG competition!!!

Dami @ FR

Hi everyone,

As you may (or may not) know, Artscape (http://www.artscape.org) will be held this year on July 17 through the 19th in downtown Baltimore.

Fire Republic will be participating in two events.

On Saturday, July 18th at 3pm, we'll have a fashion show which is a showcase of wax print, batik and lace fabrics and how you can incorporate it into your everyday wear.

On Sunday, July 19th at 6pm, I will be presenting my collection for the Artscape/ IKEA Sew Me What You Got design competition finals.

If you can attend either or both, that would be wonderful. Please notify your friends and family and hope to see you there!!!

Thanks for all the support.

Dami @ FR

My Submission

So, Cidell of MissCeliesPants emails me about a competition going on at Artscape this year: The IKEA/Artscape "Sew Me What You Got" fashion competition "daring designers to test their skills using IKEA Baltimore fabrics". I thought hey... why not? I always try to attend Artscape if I'm in town. Chopteeth was excellent in 2006 performing Fela's Water No Get Enemy =)





Anyways, back to the main story...

I checked IKEA online to look at available fabric patterns. There was a wide variety to chose from and I selected my favorites. I then went to the store to check them out. I was slightly taken aback by the composition of the fabric. I had envisioned soft cottony fabric that could be fluid and flowy but most if not all the fabric were stiff home decor types. I was thinking "for real?" But then again, the competition is is based off a Project Runway episode so why not? lol. I briefly considered buying the flowy "etched" shower drapes but didn't want to spend that much on it and most of them were white/ cream. I ended up leaving with ~4yds of the black/ white Saralisa fabric.



The cashier had to sign something for the competition and mentioned that no one had come in with that form. I wondered how many people would submit an outfit.

Because of the texture, I decided to make a structured dress but the petals were calling me to do something with them. I decided to use them as the hem of the dress's skirt. Life got busy and the project got abandoned until May 4th. Deadline day!!! I didn't want to be a spaz and not even try my luck. After confirming the 12 midnight deadline, I had to come up with a real simple outfit I could start and finish that day. Below is my sketch:



I decided to play on the petal theme and accessorize the dress with feathers. Got those and a sparkly button from JoAnn's. Here is the finished product.



I'll mention that the black fabric used for the bodice was part of a Tanzanian fabric my friend got me a while back. Thanks Modesta =) So... about 20 people submitted photos and I made the initial cut of 15. Then I turned in the dress for official photos and the Live Modeling Event that took place at IKEA last Saturday. All the events and voting happened while I was out of the country so I really anxious. Meanwhile, The Baltimore Sun online featured the competition in the "Design contestants have this competition all sewn up" article and my name and dress was mentioned along with 3 others! yay! That helped allay some of the anxiety =) Here are pictures of the dress on a model courtesy of MissCeliesPants (left) and LaCubanitaCose (right):



As I was typing up this blog, I just got word that I made the final round of 5!!!!!!!!! Yay!!! Thank you so much to everyone that voted for me. Now the real work begins. Will keep you all posted.

Dami@FR

So, remember the graduation dress I was working on?

Well, Tinu changed her mind about the dark blue fabric for the bodice to orange as originally suggested which was a great call =) The pintucks on the midriff did not give me the dramatic effect I wanted so I decided to do pleats instead. It was quite labor intensive making about 3 yards of a fabric strip into half inch pleats but I loved the final look. After I was done pleating, all I was thinking was "Do NOT mis-cut this unless you'll have to do all the pleats again!!!" lol.

With minor alterations to the muslin, here is the final product!!!



Unfortunately, I didn't take a close up of the pleats but you can see the effect here. Below is a picture of Tinu on her boyfriend's fiance's graduation. Yes, he proposed to her later that day in this dress. Congrats to you from all of us!!!



Dami @ FR

Re-purposing isn't quite the right word. More like, redesigning or revamping. I have a whole bunch of iro and bubas in very nice fabrics but I rarely wear them because of the "style". One of my missions is to re-design all my iro and bubas into "contemporary" designs. I wore this brown and cream cotton "lace" fabric for my traditional engagement "after party". I haven't worn it since then and for a friend's wedding this weekend, I decided to design and sew something new with it. I normally don't do strapless dresses but I decided to have some fun with this outfit. I wanted the front of the bodice to be a little ruched/ gathered at the top and opted for a semi-fitted skirt with some pleat detail on the waist instead of a full knee length skirt (which wouldn't have been bad, by the way). Here's the before and after.




Dami @ FR

Here's a pic of the lovely Miss Esohe rocking her red hot dress. Read the original post here

It's Springtime!!!!!

I know everyone is looking forward to when the weather gets much warmer. What better time is there to start planning your spring wardrobe? Skirts, shorts, shirts and dresses will be one of a kind when you use African Wax Print fabric (Ankara). It was all over the runways for Spring Fashion. It's not just trendy, it will continue to turn heads years later.

You can also use these Wax Print fabric for crafts or to update your home decor - Pillows, place mats, throws, aprons, kitchen mitts and more!

We are currently offering 25% off all our fabric at Fire Republic until May 31st 2009.



Do stop by and check out our inventory. If you are looking for anything more specific - patterns, colors and likewise, please email us at so we can consider your needs as we plan for the near future.

If you like the fabric but can't sew or don't have a tailor, do consider our Bespoke service. Thank you all for your support!

Dami @ FR
http://www.FireRepublic.com

Miss Tinu called me up to let me know she needed a dress made for a graduation ceremony she has to attend this May. She emailed me a picture of the fabric and some styles she has been accumulating over time. It's always great when a client has some idea of what she wants. So after about a couple (ok, it was more than a couple =) emails, we finally decided on the style. A simple A-line dress. But I wanted it to be visually interesting so I added pleat details to the neckline and pintucks to the waist band. The plain blue fabric will be used for the bodice and the patterned fabric will be used for the midriff and skirt.



I used New Look 6699 and McCalls 5094 patterns for the bodice and midriff/skirt respectively. The New Look neckline was not as rounded as I liked so I used a french curve to re-draw it.



I incorporated the neckline pleats by slashing and spreading the bodice piece and the re-drafting it.



Here is a picture of the completed muslin. The pleats came out nice (I must say =). The little square pinned to the waist is a sample of what the pintucks will look like. Once all of the midriff is pintucked, the effect will be very dramatic. So the dress is simple as I said but nicely detailed. This will probably be one of my favorite pieces!





Dami @ FR

So, ankara splashed unto the runways a couple years ago and there seems to be no signs of stopping. My sister Lola was approached by a freelancer for Vogue (British) who asked to use one of her pictures in an article she was writing about the fabric. Here's the cover and the article. Lola's picture is circled. I've heard so many reasons people give as to why they do not want to get a dress made out of ankara. Funny enough, major stores like H&M have already had funky prints in their dresses for a while now. I'll say don't underestimate how you'd look before you try it. Most people think the colors are way too bold or too vibrant to be worn but that's not true. My advice will be to start with the colors you like, then the patterns you like. If you don't think you can do a dress, start off with an accessory like a purse or a scarf (see Andrea modeling his on our Inspiration page =) It's winter time, cold and dreary. Why don't you start planning your spring/ summer wardrobe now?

Dami @ FR

The dress is all done!



After this project, I love, love, love, love cotton!!! =)
Silk charmeuse, being slippery and all, is hard to work with. Poly charmeuse even harder and don't get me started on stretch poly charmeuse!!!! It was a fun but challenging project and I had to break out the reference books. The microtex needle, elastic stitch, long straight stitch, ruffler, hemming and walking feet were my friends =) I had to do french seams for the most part and did a good amount of hand stitching. Buky wanted the neck ruffle to stand so I used some poly chiffon gauze type fabric and tulle. I probably could have gotten away with just the former fabric alone. All in all, it turned out well and as with all projects, you pick up things to do different next time.

When you need to get an outfit made back home, you get your fabric and go to the tailor's. He or she takes your measurements then asks the question of the day: "Which style?". If you have a specific style in mind, you can sketch or describe it to the tailor. If you have no idea of what you want, you can leaf through the numerous “fashion” magazines available. Basically, photographers are dispatched various events happening during the week: weddings, birthdays, funerals, naming ceremonies, you name it. They take pictures of ladies decked out in their finest and compile it into these magazines. So you leaf through it, mixing and matching features of various outfits to make your perfect attire. Maybe because I have a discerning eye… but not all these outfits look great. Some are nice by themselves but do not fit the wearer. The money shots are those pretty outfits that look awesome on the ladies! The perfect match. So these mags are useful for picking out a design. They are also great for looking at trends, the do’s and most especially the don’ts. It’s also great when you see one or two people you know. Hopefully, they fall into the do category. In perusing one such mag of 200+ outfits sometime ago, no more than 5 stood out. Here are two I totally loved. What do you think?

So my cousin Buky has this formal to attend and couldn't find anything to buy in the stores. She then decided to get a custom gown made and she turned to FR! She gave me the go ahead to design the gown with some no-negotiables: a halter neckline and empire waisted dress. So, I've been lusting after the vogue 1030 pattern and definitely wanted to sew something for myself once I find the time. I thought the pattern would work great for Buky's dress. So I made some modifications to the pattern which she okayed. We found some lovely abstract print stretch silky charmeuse at JoAnn's on sale for 60% off. Yay! I had the time to make the muslin and she came in for her first fitting. It did look like a wedding dress... with all that white! Anyways, she looked awesome in it and I can't wait to see her in the finished product. I'll be updating you in a week or so!

Another bag is up for sale in the rack. This bag is made of batik fabric. It is designed so it can be carried as a tote or folded into a chic clutch. The lining is a nice butternut squash with a zippered pocket. I am currently doing prep work for a fabulous custom gown for a winter formal. I'll post details later!!!




Dami @ FR

This post has been festering in my head for a while now. It probably has been written about to death in the fashion blogosphere but msn now has a post on it so I guess I now have no choice but to blog about it =) So, designers have been submitting their ideas to Women's Wear Daily (Women's Wear Daily) - the bible of the fashion world. They have sketches for Michelle and the girls. In my opinion, there are a few top contenders (shown below). I guess I just like the goddess look. The yellow suit by Diane Von Furstenberg is a killer look for our future First Lady. For the girls, there is only one choice in my opinion (not the pic with their mom). The rest look like school outfits not inauguration ball gowns! I say, "Let the girls be princesses at least for a day!" Which outfits are your favorites?

Herrera	Lhuillier
Mizrahi	Miller
Von Furstenberg	Som
Acra	Acra
Von Furstenberg	Young

Miss Esohe has another wedding and needs another outfit. The fabric: a sequined mesh/ tricot type. The style: similar to the previous purple dress with major alterations to the neckline and sleeve area. The ruffled strap was to go across the chest and end behind. I decided to install two hooks so that the strap can end either on the left or right at the back. The bodice was a bit shorter and the ruffled hem a tad longer. The fabric was gauzy and a bit see through so I had to do a double lining. The extra challenge was the gathered flounce at the bottom - due to the extra fabric layers and sequins. An industrial strength machine may be calling =) I can't wait to see her in the dress but in the meanwhile, here is the finished product.



Dami @ FR

Miss Kay commissioned some colorful pillow cases to tie in her new dining set with the rest of her contemporary home. I found some nice fabric at JoAnn's, took tons of pictures and waited for feedback on fabric selection. The pillowcases were designed to fit the 14"x14" pillows sold by IKEA. See the Inspiration page for more pictures!

I'm all done with the clutch. I had to put it aside for a bit until my schedule cleared up a bit. I'm planning on whipping up some shirts/ dresses soon. Do check out the rack for new additions.

I finished the evening dress last week. The gathering machine foot was the star of the day! It proved quite instrumental in gathering fabric that was 6x the circumference of the hem of the dress and making it fit. The dress even looks more stunning when worn. Be sure to check the inspiration page for that. In the meanwhile, here are pictures of the outside and inside of the dress on the form.









Dami @ FR

I am about to start work on Esohe's fashion fabric but not before I "ironed" out this tulle thing =). I cut a single layer of tulle to go in between the 2 layers of flounce fabric and gathered it along with the flounce. This is what it looks like:



Next, I took the same layer of tulle and folded it over lengthwise. I put that between the 2 layers of flounce fabric and gathered it along with the flounce. Here it is:



They pretty much look the same, huh? I guess it's all in the touching. #2 is more "moldable" so the flounce stays however you adjust it. It is sitting up by itself on my ironing board! I didn't try the sit up thing with #1 though....

I'm workings on a flat clutch purse. The ankara fabric is brown, white, cream and black. I decided to put in a single welt pocket instead of a patch pocket as I usually do. The last clutch I finished (not totally flat) is up in the rack. I'm done with the lining of this one. All that's left is the outer fabric and the stiff interfacing. I'll put up a post once it's all done!

Dami @ FR

We had a photo shoot last Saturday aimed at showcasing how the African fabrics and jewelry we carry in our online shop can be incorporated into everyday wear. There was something about the luscious scenery, crisp air, turning leaves and pretty clothes that made the shoot down right FUN! There were lots of laughs, hugs and kisses on the set; the mood was vibrant and playful and that came right through the pictures. With that said, the FR team would like to thank Omonye U., Dupe S., Ifeoma O., Nike A., Rotimi B., Lola A. and Urban A. for helping out with the shoot. Thank you so much for all your love and support.

Tope @ FR

I was looking up links for a blog post I was going to write on Yinka Shonibare regarding his work with "African Wax Prints" and I stumbled upon an interesting write-up by Karen Rosenberg for the NY Times. If you are in NY, you should try to check out these exhibits. Here is an excerpt from the article:

To the casual Western eye “African art” equals “African sculpture” — masks, headdresses and ritual figures. As two new exhibitions make clear, this picture is laughably outdated.

Many contemporary African artists would point to textile, rather than sculpture, as the tradition with the strongest impact on their work. The Nigerian-born, London-based artist Yinka Shonibare, for one, has extrapolated an entire career from the fascinating colonial history of the fabrics known as Dutch wax prints.

“The Essential Art of African Textiles: Design Without End,” at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, presents 19th-century fabrics alongside a few relevant contemporary artworks. Flipping the scales, “The Poetics of Cloth: African Textiles/Recent Art,” at New York University’s Grey Art Gallery, emphasizes the place of traditional textiles in works by contemporary African artists.

Click here to read on and here to view the associated slide show.

Grey Art Gallery Press Release
Metropolitan Museum of Art Press Release

Dami @ FR

I’m working on an outfit for the lovely Ms Esohe to wear to her cousin’s wedding at the end of this month. She contacted me and we got talking about colors, fabric and styles. So, this is the sketch I came up with:



I decided to use and modify a Vogue pattern (V8389) view A. I cut the sweetheart neckline and sleeves using freehand.



Esohe found some lovely purple silk dupioni in NY and mailed that out to me.



In the meanwhile, I got her measurements via email and started working on the muslin. A muslin is basically a rough draft of the outfit to be made using cheap fabric (before you cut the more expensive fashion fabric). Here is the front and back view of the muslin:



I added some tulle to give the bottom of the dress more volume (which will be even more voluminous because the tulle in the muslin is not the full length and wasn’t gathered).

Dami @ FR

At FR, we have acquired two Lady Valet dress forms to aid us in creating custom clothes for our long distance clients. Ideally, we would love for you to come in for fittings but this is not always possible. With up to 12 ways to adjust the form, we can get zero in on your measurements. Unfortunately, the dress forms can’t account for our naturally occurring “lumps and bumps” =) but the critical and detailed measurements we obtain from you (via a form you'll fill out by email) will help to ensure the best fit in your absence. So, if you need a custom gown for an upcoming special occasion or if you just want a fun, flirty dress (ready for next spring!), contact us. We’ll discuss styles, fabric, pricing, delivery time and everything else. Looking forward to working with you!

Dami @ FR