Interview - Jess Knight
Irish Dance Article By Danny Lewin
Added Thursday 9th November 2006Jess of Jess Knight - Irish Dance Costumes took time from her busy schedule of designing and stitching to answer some questions for us.
Q. How long have you been dancing, and when did you start thinking about designing dresses?
A. I?ve been dancing for nearly 10 years. My mum made all but my most recent 2 costumes, so I was around watching them being made. Right from the start I was really interested in the costume side of it. I was always scribbling up little designs and such ? though I have to say a lot of the early things I came up with were pretty rubbish!! Lol. I started seriously thinking about making a dress when I was about 16 or 17, it was a just a case of finding the time, money and a good machine, as well as practicing my embroidery till I was happy with it.
Q. While dancing, what type of dress designs did you go for? and why?
A. Depended on the time and what was popular! The first couple of dresses were more celtic with birds and animals and what not ? that was what was in at the time and I really liked them. I then took a gap from competitions and came back to more modern designs which I love.
Q. Did you ever dance in a dress made by yourself?
A. Yes, I just recently finished my first costume for myself, and I love it! Lol.
Q. How much has dress design changed over the years in your view?
A. A lot! We?ve come a long way from the days of the old velvet dresses covered in Celtic knotwork. A lot of designers have gained a much greater awareness of the fact these dresses are now very definitely stage costumes and as such the designs have gotten bolder and bigger ? if you put an older, very detailed costume on stage, as gorgeous as it looks up close, the details get lost and you end up with a blur. The newer designs show up much better from a distance. There?s also been a lot more use of the fabrics that are available ? sequins, lycras etc. And more experimentation ? people are looking ?outside the box? for design ideas. If these ideas work it?s great ? but in some cases the resultant dresses can be interesting, to put it mildly.
Q. Where do you see the industry heading in terms of materials, fabric, designs?
A. Right now the limit is only your imagination ? and your guts to go out there in something different. All the time there are designers thinking up something new ? using fabrics not used before, trying new ideas with construction to improve fit and weight, taking inspiration from a new source to come up with the latest designs. Every competition there is something new coming out in the dresses.
Q. What's your most favorite dress you have designed to date? and why?
A. I love all the dresses I?ve made but there are a few that have just been that bit more special for one reason or another ? colours, design, or even because of the people I made it for!
Q. What personal touches do you add to make your dresses different from others?
A. With every dress I try to make it a bit different to what has been done before. All my designs are my own and original, and I won?t use one more than once. I also try and make the dress to fit with the dancer, so they get a dress that really suits them ? both in terms of colouring & also their style.
Q. What process is there for making a dress for someone?
A. At the start I?ll discuss the basics with a new customer. We?ll talk about the colours they?re interested in, any specific fabrics they like or dislike, and I also get them to send me pictures of a few dresses they really like. This all just helps me build up a picture of the kind of costume would be their ?dream dress?. From there we?ll go over fabrics and colours more specifically, choosing a combination of fabrics that will work well together.
A design will be sketched for them to look at (which can be changed if they wish). For orders where I can?t measure the dancer myself and fit the dress to them during construction I will make and send a calico bodice to them so they can try it on and we can sort out any alterations before they receive the dress. Once everything is Okayed the final pattern is drafted up, and I draw up the design to full size. Fabrics are cut out, appliqu? is stuck down and then all the pieces will be embroidered.
The bodice is constructed first and where possible I will see the dancer again now to check it fits and make slight alterations to ensure it fits perfectly. Then its ahead with making up the skirt, joining the two sections together and then finishing off with the Velcro for the shawl, etc.
Q. Why do you enjoy what you do?
A. For a start, I have always loved fabrics and sewing, and I love dancing ? it brings the two together. I love working and designing ? taking a pile of fabrics, and a rough idea and turning it into something REAL. But the one thing that makes the whole process worthwhile is the parents? and girls? reactions. Things like calling up a family in America to let them know the dress is finished and hearing the dancer screaming in excitement in the background, a little girl emailing to thank you for making them look fantastic and making their jumps higher because of the dress, or seeing a dancer?s face light up when they see the dress for the first time. To have someone else that happy and proud of something I created for them is the best feeling.
Q. What should people do if they would like a dress designed by you?A. Get in touch!
If would like to enquire about getting a dress designed by jess, please visit her site www.jessknight.co.uk
