Inspiration from a Designer

Hello Readers and Creatives,

We want to start by thanking a special friend who has generously shared her fabric scraps with me. This not only helps with recycling but also allows us to create something new from materials that might otherwise go to waste. Among the fabric scraps, she pointed out some squares that were cut out, with the corners sewn. She suggested I might create a cone bra reminiscent of the one Madonna wore, designed by Jean Paul Gaultier.

We took her suggestion into consideration and began inspecting the squares to figure out how we could transform them into a cone bra or perhaps a top. We needed to choose a doll for this project, and we decided to work with Amani, a curvy doll that we enjoy using for risqué fashion.

Once we had chosen the doll, we measured the squares against her breasts to shape, mark, and fold them into cones. We refrained from cutting the fabric at that point because the cones needed some structural integrity, and we didn't want to stuff them just yet. After shaping the cones, we moved on to sewing in details that would provide the concept with shape, structure, and definition. The next challenge was to determine how to give these cones enough support to stay in place.

The base of the top was measured directly to Amani's body, making it a unique fit for her. Once we had sewn the details, we started to see the big picture emerge. We used Velcro to fasten the top securely at the back. It took several trials and errors to figure out the right length and thickness of the straps, but we were pleased with the final results. The straps were sewn with detailed stitching to add dimension, and that’s how the cone top was created! We also revisited the original design for inspiration from Jean Paul Gaultier.

To complete the look, we kept it simple by making a maxi skirt using some velvet fabric we found at the Dollar Tree. For the chain belt around Amani's waist, we used small silver rings, hooking them together. We feel lucky to live on the coast, where we can find natural treasures for our crafting projects. Close to the beach, we found small glass pieces shaped like tiny stones, which we used to decorate the chain belt. We crafted a purse from printed faux leather sheet scraps and paired the outfit with mint green heels purchased from Etsy. Finally, we styled her hair in a ponytail, wrapping it with some embroidery thread that complemented the heels.

We hope you enjoy the images below of the finished look on Amani—she really pulls it off beautifully!