M06 | Fireclay Bloom
FILED UNDER: THE SPICER'S QUARTER
Recovered from a shuttered textile shop in the lower Spicer's Quarter. Maker recorded as the Night Weaver. Several fragments retain original mirrorwork and beadwork.
SHELL
Mosaic of discarded saree embroidery reborn through intensive mending; a constellation of vibrant tangerines and deep purples layered with golden floral embroidery and tiny mirrored sequins. Era 1990s-2010s.
LINING
Vibrant orange synthetic for a matching interior.
DETAILING
Curved cups, dull rhinestones replaced with new glimmers, rough seams hidden beneath embroidery threads.
STRUCTURE
Hand-constructed bustier silhouette, made to cradle the bust and slightly cinch the waist.
LACING
Fraying silk ribbon in lavender ombré through reinforced gold-toned grommets.
SIZE
S, cup A [size guide]
EDITION
One of one.
FROM THE CITY ARCHIVES
The Spicer's Quarter
Fireclay Bloom was made by the Night Weaver from fragments associated with the textile trade of the Spicer's Quarter. The garment combines embroidered silks, mirrorwork, beadwork and patterned remnants in the saturated colours characteristic of the Quarter's imported cloths and decorative goods.
The Night Weaver is known to have worked primarily from recovered and discarded textiles, often separating useful fragments from their original garments before incorporating them into new pieces. In Fireclay Bloom, little of the source material has been concealed. The different fabrics remain distinct, joined instead by colour, embroidery and repetition.
The circumstances under which the finished garment came to rest in the Spicer's Quarter are not recorded. Whether it was made there, brought there for its materials, or returned there after being worn elsewhere remains unknown.
