FO: Magnolia Jacket

Here in the Pacific Northwest, we are ruled by forces of water: tidal, meteorological, glacial.

They create a sense of intimacy with our surroundings: a tree in the rain is not just a tree, but shelter; a fire in the damp is not just a fire, but safety.



They remind us of the youth of our geography: our rocky beaches and jagged peaks, carved by the methodical hands of ice and time.

They tell us of the pull of things: that the forces that draw water towards us and away are constant, unchanging, endless.




There is a feeling to all of this, a sense of balance and rightness and repetition. By this definition, there is nothing new on this earth, and there is a measure of comfort in that knowledge: the rain will come down, and the tide will turn, and water will shape the land, each without regard for anything but its own purpose.

And yet, there are small things that locate us in the landscape of this greater design: the wonder of finding something old or somehow familiar, that falls into the grain of your life and grows into something you've never experienced before. A quiet magic in everyday things.

A pair of boots, a favorite coffee cup, a blanket. A stone. A rainy day.

A jacket.

  

Details
Photography: Melody Hirsch
Jacket: Magnolia Jacket, by Cory Ellen Boberg
Dress: Vintage Hal Ferman dress, from the amazing Trove Vintage Boutique
Socks: Waving Lace Socks by Evelyn Clark
 Boots: Fluevog Adriana Nuni

Photoshoot: Melancholia Jacket

Fall is always a bittersweet time of year for me. Each year, the end of October marks the anniversary of the murder-suicide that changed the course of my life. (This year, it's eight.)



In fall, the days grow shorter, and the light of day is tempered by shadows. In some moments, it's easy to fall into darkness completely.

And yet, in marking this time, I feel a sense of comfort. Every October will be another October since the magnetism of my world shifted, just as every November ticks off the years since I refused to let that violence destroy me.



And as strange as it is, there is also comfort in recognizing others who have touched the rim of that same darkness, and chosen to turn their profound despair into beauty. My tremendously talented housemate and dear friend Melody Hirsch designed and constructed this jacket, inspired by the film Melancholia, to reach into the darkness and call it by its name.



So when she asked me to take her jacket into the woods on a hazy Thursday, and told me the story of its origin, of course I said yes.

Happy Friday.
<3
Cory

Modeling Future Beauty

This past summer, Seattle Art Museum featured an exhibition called Future Beauty: 30 Years of Japanese Fashion, a stunning collection of garments from designers ranging from Issey Miyake to Yohji Yamamoto.  I checked out the exhibition in late July and was incredibly inspired by the innovation and artistry of the clothing; I love the complex conceptual and architectural elements of Japanese fashion, so it was really amazing to see so many pieces in person.

As a grand finale to the exhibition, SAM invited my school, New York Fashion Academy, to present a runway show inspired by Japanese street and high fashion.  Although I was swamped with preparations for the wedding, I was itching to participate - so, when my friend Nicole Hood of Samara Clothing asked me to model for her capsule collection, I jumped at the chance.

 

The shoe rehearsal was the Tuesday after the wedding, so I was still a little dizzy from a magical weekend with my friends, family and brand spankin' new husband!  It was a blast, though, to hang out with all the designers and their models, many of whom I recognized from the April runway show and earlier model calls.

Shoe rehearsals are a standard preparation for fashion shows; they give models a chance to walk the runway in the shoes they'll be wearing, hear the music, and plan any choreography or posing.  I know I was happy to have a chance to walk those steep marble steps in heels before I did in front of hundreds of people!

The day of the show was surprisingly relaxed backstage.  Nicole directed hair & makeup, coordinated our accessories, and gave us some last-minute direction about posing and attitude.  Her collection was three looks with a smart, sophisticated feel - appropriate for office and evening alike.  I loved the color and cut of my dress, and it fit me perfectly, which is a rare, wonderful thing for me.  I also tried on the shorts from her collection during a fitting, and holy damn were they cute!  (Needless to say, I'm ordering a pair.)  

It was my first time modeling for runway - other than subbing for absent models in jeans and flats - and it ended up being a great experience.  The audience was overwhelmingly gigantic, but had a great energy that made the whole thing very exciting.  Once I was out there, I hammed it up and had an awesome time!

Seattle photographer Bret Doss was kind enough to photograph both the shoe rehearsal and the actual event, as well as to provide the photos for this post.  He's always an absolute pleasure to work with - friendly, engaging, and a magician behind the lens!  (Lumberjack called me as soon as Bret's runway photos were posted on Facebook, and I won't go into details but I believe the word "foxy" was involved.)

Thanks to everyone who made this event happen - the behind-the-scenes folks at SAM and NYFA, my friends and fellow designers, the sweet and friendly models and dressers, the photographers, and the audience who made our event a success.

Happy Monday!