'My Friend the Mosquito'

Hiya!!!!
As I've been banging on about it....I can now finally unleash my latest pieces of work created as a result of my project in Taiwan. Over the past few months, whilst based in Taipei, I have been working on both research journals and a small collection of garments which come together to form my most recent series of work titled, 'My Friend the Mosquito'. Another purpose for locating myself in Taiwan for a while was to have the opportunity to work and collaborate with a new bunch of creative talents as well as get to grips with the art and design scene in a different city. This selection of images was the final stage of my mission in Taipei in which I joined forces with a local creative team on location at Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, a major landmark within the city.

Before I stop droning on, this is the official speile about the collection in case you want to peruse...
'‘My Friend the Mosquito’ is an off season collection of works developed and designed in Taipei, Taiwan 2011 as part of Emma’s position as Resident Artist at ‘Dream Community:Culture & Education Development Foundation’. The series of pieces present a juxtaposition to Emma’s previous collection focusing on camouflage and disguise techniques used by insects. The garments embrace pattern formations influenced by the features of moths native to Taiwan translated into surface embellishment and appliqué in exaggerated, saturated hues using holographic features. Other themes are inspired by the translucency and iridescence of mosquitoes alongside the idea of storytelling and methods of the heart drawing upon the concept of transformation taken from the Taiwanese folk tale, ‘The Tigress Witch’.
The collection also features a garment influenced by the annual lantern festival, which is constructed out of paper, bamboo, plastic and cotton.'

Image Credits:
Designer: Emma Bell
Photographer: Ching aLittle
Hair and Make-Up Artist: Chunyen Lee
Model: Queenga @ New Face Model Management
Assistant: Ouson Lee
And that's that....!!! Hope you like the new work!!!
Love and Sparkles
Emma xxxx

Burger Situations and other Tales...

Good Evening from Taiwan!
So things have been all over the place this past week or so! I'm frantically preparing for the final leg of my project which will take place later this week and also I've been wrapping up the last of all my workshops etc... I can't believe I've been here in Taiwan almost 3 months now and soon I will be whipping off to yonder UK so with so little time I've been trying to squeeze in all I can of Taipei!
The past week has been particularly eventful... alongside some late night sewing sessions and playing the new Britney album on repeat there have also been scenarios which include; 'The Burger Situation', a venture into Taipei's nightlife, the mysterious case of the loaf of bread, an annoying game of 'Space Invaders', Night Market shopping trips and an excursion to the National Palace Museum to see the Chagall exhibition.
I also spotted a BEAST of a Mukade which gave me flashbacks to the Japan days and today I saw a worm so big I thought it was a snake... I found a few soldiers lurking around Chiang Kai Shek which I loved and also I purchased a hot new ring and some amazing Barbie pink shoes in the market...additionally I'm being eaten alive by mosquitoes.
That's the news....so now I'm prepping for my project with a local creative team that will kick off in a few days time and hoping to fit in as many theme restaurants as possible before I say farewell to Asia once again.... Some photos below 'innit....




Love and Sparkles
Emma xxx

Workshops Akimbo and Branching Out...

Hiya from Taiwan!
So It's been a super intense past couple of weeks since I arrived in Taiwan....There was a whole load of prep work and deadlines prior to the fashion workshops kicking off and now we are working towards the end of the project and the catwalk presentation this coming weekend.
The theme of my workshops was to tie in with the upcoming lantern festival here in Taiwan so everyone is working on 'wearable lanterns'. I'm working with around 10 different groups ranging from a local storytelling collective, to Dream Community staff and residents here at the complex. The attendees have a whole bunch of themes going on including Egyptians, Year of the Rabbit, Alice in Wonderland, Strawberry Season, Recycling and of course Lady Gaga!
I've been putting some mammoth hours in at the studio and I've been riding out being ill for the past week so not too much juicy gossip...but a couple of days ago I got to make my first venture out sightseeing...so here are some pictures from my grand day out... Bit of a whistlestop tour as it was pissing it down with rain and exhaustion was totally kicking in...but I hit up the Chiang Kai Shek Memorial Hall, the Ximending area (which was AWESOME!), the mega tall 101 Building...a bunch of temples... Taipei City Hall....tra la la...

So there you have it...that's what has been rolling this past couple of weeks here in Taiwan!!!
Love and Sparkles,
Emma
xxx