Trick or treat

Coming from an embroidery background I "discovered" something very interesting and no matter how many types of embroidery I look at or how regularly I am looking at fashion trends, I always find myself under the same dilemma. If you’re someone as fussy as I am with the items in your wardrobe I’m sure you’ll have felt the same too! How many times have you gone shopping, looked at something and thought it was absolutely beautiful.. had a closer look and realised actually no its not that beautiful?..or worse - came home with it and then realised it’s actually not how you saw it on your first glance? Just incase you hadn’t figured out why this keeps happening.. heres my take on it!!

It’s a very simple eyetrick which can occur in two different formats. One is the colour on colour combination when the fabric (background) and the embellishments are of the same colour. It becomes difficult to distinguish the details of the pattern at first glance, so naturally you do have to take a closer look, from personal experience, when you look at these kinds of embroidery it always looks good from far!! 

Of course sometimes the craft is genuinely a masterpiece but other times it can be embroidery that was simply just banged on without too much thought given to it. The best way to know if the embroidery really is outstanding is to be able to view it on a different colour but as most things that’s easier said than done! However, I did manage to find this one image where you can see the difference for yourself.

  As you can see on the left, the colours are all very similar and it automatically gives a more richer more elegant vibe in comparison to the dress on the right. I guess thats another thing, something about the whole colour on colour look gives a more expensive feel. Colours on a whole is very important when it comes to embroidery and fashion, when the right combination is used it will look good regardless!
With this particular dress the embroidery is completely effortless, different sizes of diamantes simply just scattered yet still captures a sense of elegance. Although I have to mention that this only works so well because its been tightly stitched, had it been just sprinkles then it would lose the rich vibe altogether. Which brings me to my next point...
The other eyetrick for embroidery is when the embroidery is very full and intricate we automatically perceive it to be stunning because without realising we’ve actually appreciated all the effort that must have gone into the production however that still doesn’t change that behind all that hard work the pattern may not actually be as pretty as conceived. And sometimes there’s so much detailing that its hard to even make out the pattern at all!

Heres just a few examples to give you a better idea of what I mean!  

Here's some designs that I personally loved..

(Marchesa 2013)

The shoes definately worked better, I didn't personally like the fringe idea on the dress but you can't deny that the embellishment is just stunning on both these peices!

(Dolce and Gabbana Fall/Winter 2013)

(Givenchy 2010)

With this one again the dress clearly is a catwalk piece, so not something you'd really wear but I just loved the detailing of the embroidery and can imagine the heavy stone works just blinging.

Although it may have its disadvantages it can still definately work for your advantage as most people won't bother to look so closely, but for future reference I would recommend for all the embroidery lovers to next time take a second look and really decide if you do like the embroidery. Don't be fooled by the first glance! And as I have shown you above some designers really do get it spot on.

My apologies for any unreferenced picture above as none of them were mine :)