Stunned is how I would describe myself during the initial discovery call with @SashaVelour and Johnny Velour. I think I literally asked, “Do you want me to do this project because you truly think I’m capable or other makers said no?” I’m sure I instilled a lot of confidence! LOL But they were both lovely and said I was the only maker recommended for fans that would not only achieve the look, but also be functional to dance with. The goal was set! I was about to create an iconic prop for TRAVESTY | Discover Drag’s Musical Heritage Today — Sasha Velour.
Sasha had an incredible concept (I won’t give it away if you haven’t seen the show 😉 and sketch from @kelseysshorts. In addition to the fluff of the burlesque ostrich plumes, Sasha wanted the fans to be fuzzy and textured. After setting the colors, I worked through some different feather types that could achieve this. But oh, how to mount them?!
Luckily, I had just come back from an incredible workshop with @maorzabarhats, learning to make his signature material – sinasilk. While I don’t think I’ll ever be good at things on heads, this material is what I needed for the foundation of this creation.
Starting with the metal stave structure (coated at @coating.specialties_3311) which has the plumes attached and supports the rest of the design, the set features ostrich nandus, goose coquille, goose nagoire, hen and rooster saddle and rooster coque. While a good amount of the feathers were machine sewn, many had to be sewn on by hand. With this in mind, I could not have completed this project without @ericmmmguy. He was an absolute treat to work with, a talented stitcher and executed seamlessly. From start to finish, between the two of us, this project took 94 hours to complete!
I have immense respect for Sasha as an artist and am thankful for the opportunities her shows grant other creators. Putting aside my own imposter syndrome was hard, but getting to swish the final fans around my basement studio was amazing. A good review and stunning photos from Sasha was worth every moment of work!
