Alex

Downton Abbey is surely one of the most successful British Dramas of all time and was certainly the most watched Christmas Special of 2013. Since its debut in ITV on 2010, Downton has taken the world by storm, not only for its climactic story lines and breathtaking dramatic performances, but for the exquisite costume design. Downtown's stunning costumes have made...

Like any dressmakers, or anybody else keen on fashion, we always have one eye on the red carpets throughout the year, looking to be inspired by the latest celebrity trends and 2013 has seen a whole host of stunning looks, many of which will go down in fashion history. This year, the red carpet has been awash with sumptuous fabrics...

Gabrielle Coco Chanel once famously said "fashion fades, only style remains the same", and as with anything fashion related, Coco was always right. Coco Chanel was of course an expert at creating elegant, simple classics which were guaranteed to stand the test of time. The inventor of the Little Black Dress, Coco knew better than anyone what fabrics and elegant...

Happy Christmas from all of us at Calico Laine.   Calico Laine would like to wish all of our customers and suppliers a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We hope that you have received everything you wished for including lots of sewing goodies and we look forward to seeing what creations you come up with in 2014.

An early corset, circa 1910. Boning is one of the most useful yet most overlooked items of haberdashery in our collection. When you think of boning you automatically think of bustiers and structured evening gowns and of course boning is an extremely useful way of adding light structure to your formal garments and for holding in place embellishments such...

The first 'LBD' by Coco Chanel showcased in American Vogue, October 1926. From playful party dresses to elegant evening gowns, every girl needs at least one Little Black Dress in her wardrobe. The classic, timeless elegance of the LBD dates back to the 1920's and is attributed to designers such as Coco Chanel and Jean Patou who aimed to...

The Eighties are a time that most of us will be old enough to remember fondly and were a time of great social and economic change, remembered by many as a simpler and happier time, The Eighties were defined by its outrageous fashion, cheesy pop music and rapid changes in technology. The Eighties brought us the first mobile phones, much...

For those of us who have been eagerly awaiting the return of Patrick Grant and May Martin for series two of The Great British Sewing Bee, last night's Christmas Special of the hit BBC 2 show was just enough to whet our appetites for all things sewing and get our creative juices flowing just in time for the hotly anticipated...

Now Christmas is drawing ever closer, your tree is decorated and presents are wrapped it is time to turn your thoughts to the next big event of the season, New Years Eve. Whether you will be seeing in the new year over a quiet meal and glass of bubbly with your loved ones or at an organised event, you will...

From the Old Hollywood Era starring the likes of Bette Davis and Ava Gardener, to modern day style icons like Scarlett Johanssen and Taylor Swift, we can always count on celebrities to push the fashion envelope. There are certain dresses that cannot be described merely as a fashion statement, some that are so iconic they can really only be described as...