Hell Couture: New York Designer Creates Black Metal Custom Fashions[views:19260][posts:86]_________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 12:29am - KEVORD ""] http://www.noisecreep.com/2013/01/23/hell-couture-female-metal-shirts/ [img] Rebecca Conrad For the longest time, female metalheads were stuck with buying small-sized hoodies or t-shirts of their favorite bands. The cuts weren't exactly flattering or feminine, but lady headbangers made due, either cutting them or hacking them up for a better end result. Or worse, wearing them as is. In recent years, bands sell fitted tees, boy shorts and totes, and the female-minded metal merch options have expanded exponentially. But what about real metal couture? What about shirts, tunics, cardigans and dresses designed from simple t-shirts that you can't get at Hot Topic? And we're not talking Linkin Park or even Slipknot tees. We're talking Darkthrone and Burzum. Rebecca Conrad designs beautifully grim metal attire with leather and lace accents via her Hell Couture Etsy shop. Noisecreep spoke to the fabric mutilating metal fan about her booming, burgeoning (or is that "Burzuming?") business. Her aesthetic is "witch-lady hessian" and she's cornering a market and filling a white, er, black space. You make beautifully grim hoodies, tees and dresses out of extreme metal t-shirts. How did you get into mixing metal and fashion in such a unique way? With sites like Etsy and the crafting/DIY craze that's been going on the last few years, there's so much great stuff to be found online, but, and I'm gonna date myself here, that wasn't the case when I was growing up. In high school, I started cutting up my band t-shirts to be fitted. They definitely weren't well-made; I was just hand-sewing the sides together with no regard for measurement or technique. It was hard enough, especially growing up in the suburbs of Pennsylvania, to get my hands on a Burzum shirt back then to begin with, let alone one that fit me. I really just started sewing out of necessity because if I didn't want to wear giant dude shirts of the bands I liked there was no other option. [img] Can you share a little insight into the creative process? What bands you choose? Do you just start with a t-shirt and go from there? Lately, I mostly just work with black metal shirts. In the very beginning, I was all over the place doing pretty much any heavy metal shirts I could get my hands on, as well as horror movies. I truly love all kinds of heavy metal, but the tiny market of DIY metal girls clothing has gotten a little cramped, so I decided to stick with mostly black metal these days, since it's my own personal favorite. I find that I get a lot more creative with that stuff, also. It's a lot easier for me to come up with ideas for clothing working only with shirts I would actually wear. I decided at some point in the last year to never make anything that I wouldn't want to keep if it didn't sell. Usually I'll throw on whatever band whose shirt I'm working on and just kind of do whatever comes to mind as I'm listening to their music...I dream about clothes pretty regularly, actually. Sometimes I even just go to the mall and wander around trying to picture everything if it was made out of a Sargeist shirt instead. It's really helped my creativity to force myself to look at everything differently. Your stuff is fashionable and designed, and obviously, custom cut. Was the lack of female-friendly attire part of what inspired you? How have you been able to turn the world onto your designs? Yes, very much so. As I said before, I basically taught myself how to sew out of necessity because it was the only way for me to wear particular band shirts at the time. Now, it's much easier to come by. That being said, because girls metal clothes are easier to get now, I don't want to just do the same things the bands themselves are producing, which is why in the last year or so, I made myself up the creativity and definitely master a lot of sewing skills I had previously ignored, being self-taught. I really want to make things that are not available anywhere else because I assume (I hope!) there are other girls like me out there who don't just want to wear a baggy t-shirt, and maybe they don't want just a plain tank top with a logo either. [img] What are some of your favorite metal bands? Oh, that could be a tremendously long list! Mercyful Fate and King Diamond are at the top; Melissa, Don't Break the Oath, Abigail and Fatal Portrait were all real life-changing albums for me. They came along at just the right time and piqued my interest in just the right way. Burzum -- same thing. The first time I heard Burzum, I was just like, "Oh...this is EXACTLY what I want to be hearing all the time." When I was young I used to go buy Kerrang! from the independent book/record store in my town, and I just became obsessed with Burzum and Varg. That store would special order things for you, so I saved up for all the Burzum I could get my hands on, then Bathory and Von (because he was wearing those shirts in the pictures from the trial), and it just went on from there. I was pretty young, but this was prior to the Internet being so accessible, so I really had to do my research. My other favorites include Horna, Sargeist, Satanic Warmaster, Pest, Inquisition, Mortuary Drape, Grand Belial's Key, Absurd, Craft, Armagedda, Hate Forest, Urgehal, Cornigr, Mutiilation, Graveland, Katharsis...this could go on forever. I also have an undying love for W.A.S.P., Judas Priest, Grim Reaper, Helloween, Twisted Sister and on and on...that was what I grew up on, stealing my older brothers' cassette tapes. I love hair metal and power metal in general but W.A.S.P. and Judas Priest I can probably say at this point I will never tire of and would love even if I heard them for the first time today, without the nostalgia factor. [img] Have the bands seen your designs? Yes! One of the absolute most rewarding things about this whole venture is that a bunch of the bands have seen my stuff and (so far) they've all been really stoked on 'em! It's been a tremendous honor to be in contact with some of these dudes and have their seal of approval on what I'm doing. Of course, if a band were ever to contact me and tell me they hated what I was doing, I would 100% respect it and take those items down, but so far, so good. Also, I love to buy the t-shirts I start with directly from the bands, if possible, so it's been nice to be contacted from so many of them and be able to support them that way. Visit hellcouture.etsy.com for one-of-a-kind, custom made clothing; new items listed every Sunday at midnight (EST). No custom orders due to time constraints, but she is always open to suggestions on styles. New things coming in 2013, including those which are not band-affiliated. [img] [img] Check out what she charges for this crap: http://www.etsy.com/shop/hellcouture?page=1 |
| _________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 1:25am - BobNOMAAMRooney ""] Oh cool, fashion for thin white women. It's good to know they can finally buy clothes that'll fit them. |
| ___________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 1:37am - slar you morbid? ""] i wish there was a like button for the above post |
| ___________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 1:39am - slar you morbid? ""] although i gotta say, my decidedly full figured girlfriend makes way cooler shit out of band shirts than that chick, plus she has tits. |
| ___________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 1:40am - slar you morbid? ""] [img] she legit looks 2 dimensional in this one hahaha |
| _______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 1:49am - NuclearWinter ""] This is so totally new and original. Support. |
| ________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 2:08am - MOPAR ""] Meow meow meow meow meow Seeing this makes me wish I'd been her cat instead of Eric's. Because then at least instead of a bunch of guitars going up in smoke I could have taken out this bullshit Actual Pain knockoff. |
| __________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 8:08am - dude hangs dong ""] too bad she looks like andy dick in the face with that closeup pic, because I would bang that skinny broad |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 9:21am - Alx_Casket ""] She implicitly states that she never asks a band for permission to use their logo before constructing one of these high school art projects. "It's been nice to be contactedf from so many of them" = emailed receipt of her original tshirt order. |
| ________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 9:26am - KEVORD ""] I had a similar line of thinking. If Horna wanted a babydoll dress as part of their merch they would mass produce it and charge $120 themselves. This is in line with selling patched jackets on ebay. |
| _____________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 9:49am - MarkFuckingRichards ""] I wonder if she could make a Ceremonial Castings onesy for me. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 9:51am - goatcatalyst ""] Rebecca is a very good friend of mine and I like her 1000x more than 99% of you turds. NO FATTIES CULT ETERNAL (sorry, Jensen) |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 9:56am - arilliusbm ""] They look pretty cool but I can't believe how trendy black metal has become. It's a shame. No offense to Rebekkah. |
| _____________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 9:57am - MarkFuckingRichards ""] TELL US HOW YOU REALLY FEEL, RYAN. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 9:57am - goatanalyst ""] goatcatalyst said:Rebecca is a very good friend of mine and I like her 1000x more than 99% of you turds. NO FATTIES CULT ETERNAL (sorry, Jensen) she must be a fag hag then. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 9:59am - goatcatalyst ""] You got me :( |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:01am - arktranet ""] support womens looking good everywhere all the time. |
| ________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:02am - Hoser ""] slar%20you%20morbid? said:although i gotta say, my decidedly full figured girlfriend makes way cooler shit out of band shirts than that chick, plus she has tits. What do you mean by "full-figured"? Fat? |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:04am - arktranet ""] "HAHAHA, LOOK EVERYONE, SHE'S FAT" -Hoser |
| _________________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:04am - DYA is PINGER FICKIN‘ ""] KEVORD said:simple t-shirts that you can't get at Hot Topic? and then goes on to drop Darkthrone and Burzum. buuh-wuuuuhhhhhh? Alx_Casket said:She implicitly states that she never asks a band for permission to use their logo before constructing one of these high school art projects. "It's been nice to be contactedf from so many of them" = emailed receipt of her original tshirt order. Arcturus shirt off eBay - $30 Thread and Christmas ribbon from Michael's - $5 Arcturus shirt with Christmas ribbon - $120 Co-opting subculture fashions and ripping off bands - priceless |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:06am - arktranet ""] arilliusbm said:They look pretty cool but I can't believe how trendy black metal has become. It's a shame. No offense to Rebekkah. I can't get behind this anymore. There's people (and chicks) that actually like it for what it is (or was) and you can't even deny the appeal of it. |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:09am - arilliusbm ""] There's a huge difference between now and 10+ years ago. Simple as that. Stating the obvious. Thank you last.fm and file sharing. |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:10am - Long Box ""] Look, I turned my Pathos Releases into a fancy trash can liner. $150. What a fun life. |
| _________________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:12am - DYA is PINGER FICKIN‘ ""] I also don't really give a fuck but Mastercard lists are fun to come up with. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:14am - barren ark ""] arilliusbm said:Thank you file sharing. sure as fuck saved my goddamn life in high school. |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:17am - arilliusbm ""] I mean I'm not denying what you're saying, I'm only pointing out how everything is so different now. Stoner doom and black metal especially. Every person is entitled to what they like and get out of music, but it's hard to NOT notice trends after being part of and listening to metal for a while. The last 5 years alone, especially. |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:28am - Long Box ""] I'm gonna make a dress out of my Herugrim shirt and wear it to the Barren Oak show on Thursday. Yipee! What a fun life. |
| ___________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:43am - posbleak ""] Long long ago when I used to blog this shop owner sent me a request for a feature post. I asked her to draft up a basic "how to" post for people who might want to make their own rather than just reposting images from her shop and basically writing free ad copy for her and never heard from her again. Her designs were much simpler then though and I can't personally get into the lace-backs and the babydoll dresses. "Custom" and "couture" and "bespoke" clothing should all be cut and made to fit your buyer's measurements, not something that you've sliced up and made to fit a dress form. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:48am - barren ark ""] arilliusbm said:I but it's hard to NOT notice trends after being part of and listening to metal for a while. The last 5 years alone, especially. or like death metal in the 90s? |
| _______________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:50am - Yeti ""] arktranet said: arilliusbm said:They look pretty cool but I can't believe how trendy black metal has become. It's a shame. No offense to Rebekkah. I can't get behind this anymore. There's people (and chicks) that actually like it for what it is (or was) and you can't even deny the appeal of it. you are correct. i don't give a shit anymore, they can have their culture. doesn't mean i have to belong to it. |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:56am - arilliusbm ""] I guess I still care. I dont really like or agree with how everything has progressed but at the end of the day it doesn't affect me so it's really not a big deal. I'm just glad to have been part of something when it reached its artistic and (sub) cultural apex. |
| _______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 10:57am - goatcatalyst ""] In all sincerity, I cannot wait until metal is unpopular again |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:00am - arilliusbm ""] barren%20ark said: or like death metal in the 90s when it was destroying most shit today? |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:13am - Long Box ""] I fashioned this In The Shit shirt into a flag for Robin to flag down the cops. I wrote “The Basements Over there officers” on the back. What a fun life. |
| _________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:23am - Robing ""] Rumours. |
| __________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:31am - OldFrenchWhore ""] Good thing there are now black metal friendly clothing items I can wear to work. Now I can be professional AND kvlt at every meeting! |
| ___________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:37am - basement reject ""] ITT: there is a whole lot of faggotry going on about womens black metal fashion... |
| _________________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:40am - DYA is PINGER FICKIN‘ ""] Robing said:Rumours. ITT: Robin is booking Fleetwood Mac @ O'B's |
| _________________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:43am - DYA is PINGER FICKIN‘ ""] posbleak said: "Custom" and "couture" and "bespoke" clothing should all be cut and made to fit your buyer's measurements, not something that you've sliced up and made to fit a dress form. This. All music politics aside, I can't imagine how any of those dresses are gonna look on random internet buyer #2345. |
| __________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:44am - BobNOMAAMRooney ""] DYA%20is%20PINGER%20FICKIN‘ said: Robing said:Rumours. ITT: Robin is booking Fleetwood Mac @ O'B's But I'm booking Lindsey Buckingham solo @Jizzkastle Bazzment the same night! |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:44am - barren ark ""] basement%20reject said:ITT: there is a whole lot of faggotry going on about womens black metal fashion... so make an anonymous obvious post about it |
| _________________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:45am - DYA is PINGER FICKIN‘ ""] Oh Lindsey Buckingham, you my best friend! [img] |
| ___________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:47am - veqlargh ""] "Metal fashion": Just another way girls who have no place in the "metal scene" try to work their way in to being more than just a hole for a man in a band to stick it in. |
| ___________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:49am - basement reject ""] barren%20ark said: basement%20reject said:ITT: there is a whole lot of faggotry going on about womens black metal fashion... so make an anonymous obvious post about it so make an obvious anonymous reply to my anon post. |
| ____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 11:56am - Long Box ""] I'm working on a Woods of Ypres skirt for Winter is Coming Fest 2. David Golds mother will think its to die for. What a fun life. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 12:07pm - barren ark ""] veqlargh said:"Metal fashion": Just another way girls who have no place in the "metal scene" try to work their way in to being more than just a hole for a man in a band to stick it in. ladies....this dude is available. he's in the corner with his arms folded. |
| _____________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 12:09pm - arilliusbm ""] Veglargh is a lady you bunghole elitist. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 12:09pm - barren ark ""] hahahahhah |
| _________________________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 12:10pm - DYA is PINGER FICKIN‘ ""] Well-played. |
| ______________________________________ [Jan 29,2013 12:11pm - barren ark ""] well...played |