Icon Inspiration: Donna Summer

Saturday, July 16, 2011

In our final feature on icons with strong fashion identities or who influenced fashion or their genre, we return to the music industry to Donna Summer who ruled the disco world. Unlike the more conservative Sade, Donna Summer was a HUGE Sex Symbol during those heady disco days.

Whether for her album covers or stage performances, Donna often wore garments that were highly provocative, with deep necklines, high slits to flaunt her legs and figure-hugging silhouettes to show off her curves.

Hannah Lettman, winner of the Caribbean Model Search fashion model category in 2010, returns as the model this week. We dressed Hannah in swimwear to replicate a couple of the singer's looks. The inspiration piece for the Rock the Cloth garment is a long white dress from the album cover shown. We are still in love with maxis and so this is a great summer dress.

Photos: Marc Evans

Fabric for the dress provided by Pablo's

Make-up: Angelie Martin-Spencer

Steps:

1. Cut.

a. Skirt: the width of the fabric and length based on measurement from floor to desired hemline.

b. Waistband (2): 5" x waist measurement less 2". *Because this is a knit fabric, the dimensions are smaller.

c. Bust triangles (4): ~8" in height and width of base - but ensuring you measure your bust size to get adequate coverage. After cutting a regular triangle create a curved base by measuring 1.5" up from the sides and cutting along a curve to the centre.

d. Strings for neck tie.

2. Join

a. Waistband (2) along the length.

b. Along the length of the skirt, then gather the waist to the length of the waistband.

3. Placing two triangle parts right sides together, join each along the sides leaving an opening to insert the neck ties, then stitch these in place.

4. Attach waistband to skirt.

5. Attach bust triangles to top of waistband

6. Finish edges and hem.