Your work is so different from traditional sewing. How did you first discover chainmail as a creative medium? Was fashion always the goal, or did it start as pure curiosity?
I was inspired to pick up chainmail after my first visit to the renaissance festival. It made me want to really invest my time in costume making. At the time I was working with a lot of crochet, beading and wire wrapping so it seemed like a natural addition to my skillset.
Looking back, was there one piece that made you think, "This could actually become something bigger than a hobby"? What was it?
Definitely my wedding dress. Prior to this project I had only made jewelry and smaller garments, but I decided to make a floor length gown completely freehand. It was a huge undertaking. It gave me the confidence to know I can make challenging pieces, and it really fine tuned my motor skills and patternmaking.
Today, what does creating chainmail fashion mean to you?
I've always been an artist of many mediums. I don't remember consciously choosing to go into fashion. I think starting Fifi Chains was a combination of my attention to detail, my love of strong materials, and simply sticking with one thing for long enough to become good.
You work with one of the most unusual materials in fashion. What keeps you inspired to come up with new designs, and where do your ideas usually begin?
I love interpreting vintage and antique fashion garments as chainmail. I like the challenge of making a certain silhouette with the limitations inherent to chainmail and metal. It's like a puzzle.
Your pieces look incredibly intricate. What's more important to you when you're creating something?
I think there's a balance between getting the structure right and realizing a creative vision. If I have a certain silhouette in mind, that is my end goal. But sometimes the draping of chainmail is unpredictable and that's when the creative process takes over. With such a slow and intricate craft it's easy for a piece to morph into something else entirely- which I like. Although, there's a lot to learn in persisting with the original concept. As for comfort, I try to disperse the weight as evenly as I can, and many people are surprised by how relaxing the heft feels. At the end of the day none of my garments are made for everyday wear so it's not a huge concern of mine.
We'd love to hear about your workspace. Has your studio changed a lot since you first started making chainmail pieces?
Yes! I am currently in the process of redesigning my workspace to be conducive to my chainmail work. When I moved in I had many different interests, hobbies and materials. I'm really trying to consolidate supplies and minimize clutter. My process is naturally a bit scattered but I'm working on it.
People often admire the finished piece, but rarely see the hours behind it. What's the most challenging part of creating chainmail fashion that your audience might not realize?
One of my favorite things about creating and posting content alongside projects is letting people in on the process! Sometimes I mention having to redo a section or measure another, but I don't know if people realize just how much time that can take. If I had to stress one challenging aspect for me it's the time and effort that go into the design process- not everything works on the first try!
How did you first come across Royal Dress forms, and what made you decide to give one a try?
I had been looking for a fully pinnable dress form for a long time. Some of them say they are, but won't hold up the weight of the metals I work with. I think I saw another creator use Royal Dress forms and it looked like a great fit!
Has working with a soft dress form changed your process in any way?
I can actually drape and attach sections on a form now. Before I was just holding it up to my body and hoping for the best. It's definitely sped things up for me.
If you could give one piece of advice to makers who are just starting to work with unconventional materials or investing in their first professional dress form, what would it be?
Stick with it! It's easy to do things you're good at and that might not be the case when you first pick up a new hobby. Eventually instinct and muscle memory take over and all of the sudden you're creating things that felt out of reach a few months ago. Developing a skill is very rewarding.
Thank you Stephanie Mather!
