Sweet Inspiration | Ms. Bradley

One of the most rewarding things of opening my own public space to showcase my work has been the warm, welcoming response I often receive from the public. Absolute strangers - kind, friendly faces, often poke their head in as they're passing by simply to welcome me to the neighborhood or applaud my courage in forging ahead on my own creative path. In the midst of the many fears and doubts and trails that prevail in my mind, these faces - these comments - keep me encouraged and ready to work even harder to turn MC into something truly special.

One of the most unexpected and wonderful examples of this arrived in the mail late last week. Upon seeing my article in Seattle Magazine, Ms. Bradley of Seattle took the time to track down
this article she saved about America's finest tailors and the traditions they embody, trimming the top with a carefully typed note for me. Opening the envelope to find this made my day...my week....my month, even.


The article is now tacked to my design board, offering her encouragement every time I glance at it during my work day.

Yes Ms. Bradley, I'd happily take you on as a client! Clearly you're someone very very special.

And YES! Ms. Bradley, I'll be doing all I can to prove them wrong! Tailoring is not seeing its last days if I have anything to say about it!

Coming

The Michael Cepress Studio|Showroom writes to wish you the very best for 2009!
With the new year in full swing, we're happy to announce the many great new developments happening here at MC.

Check out the press features MC has been seeing recently...
Many thanks to Seattle Magazine, Seattle P-I, Regina Hackett, and Daily Candy for their support.
We were IN for '08, and hope the trend continues for '09!

COMING IN LATE FEBRUARY: MC READY-TO-WEAR
Getting started with our first collection of ready-to-wear pieces, the MC Studio|Showroom will soon feature this exclusive collection of fine menswear basics.
For those of you wanting MC at your fingertips, now's your chance to get it right off the racks!

ALSO COMING IN FEBRUARY: MC IN PARIS
Idomenee Magazine features MC designs along side Dries Van Noten and Thierry Mugler in their beautiful publication committed to photography, art and fashion.

MC Continues to offer Custom Menswear: One of a kind hand-crafted shirts, trousers, vests, suits, ascots, neckties...

There's always something new here...
COME VISIT US SOON!

~|~|~

C-Press | Seattle Magazine

Thank you, Seattle Magazine!

MC Interns

They have ALL the fun.

While my studio/design intern Henry happily sifted through 3 massive freezer bags of newly inherited 1930s and 1940s buttons, he found a lovely gold locket.

The great little leather guitar-pick-sized pocket in his super skinny low-slung jeans became the perfect new home for it.

New Favorite Thing | Fop

New favorite thing:

This 1930s or 40s plaster display head couldn't be passed up. He had me at hello.

I like it so much, I've decided to use it to showcase a small line of custom MC hat bands that will soon be available here. He'll be sporting a luxury fedora in time; for now his perfectly groomed appearance seems to be more than enough.

Once again, the beauty of the past holds strong.


Disclaimer: MC does not endorse smoking.

On Grace: Addendum I

The thing is, folks, her approach lets her straddle so many places...so many identities. An absolutely perfect textbook example of the proudly strange individualism of the sixties, Grace opts not to be distinctly feminine or masculine; she happily and actively samples both. Her voice shows us this. Her attitude shows us this. Her wardrobe showed us this. The strength and intensity with which she sings and performs was otherwise reserved for the men of rock...she not only claims this power as her own, but makes it distinctly clear that honest, intuitive, emotionally driven and passionate art-making is not about whether you're a man or woman, young or old, fat or thin, cool or uncool, from the east or west. Its about zeroing in on the deepest level of an experience. Finding an essence and purity in something, and taking the risk of recreating the experience. The biggest risk of all then becomes sharing your results with others.

"Are you talking about what it is you know, or just repeating what it was you heard?" - "Play on Love" - Red Octopus 1975

I feel so strongly about this one. My friends know that its unlikely I'll stop talking about Grace Slick any time soon. Thank you for bearing with me.

New Favorite Thing | Fob

My very new favorite thing: a beautiful antique brass fob.

An up-close look shows an upper case "M" engraved on the surface of the link the chain passes through.From the end of the chain swings a handsome locket. The perfect decoration for my many vests.

Dlisted Wears MC

In a recent photo shoot with Dlisted writer Michael K, NY photographer Brad Walsh dresses him in MC. I love this image. Thank you, Mr. Walsh!

On Grace

I don't spend much time looking at contemporary fashion magazines. I check in with the designers I enjoy most, and follow links and nods and prods when they're sent my way. Music drives me more directly.

When Grace Slick sings, she shows us her soul. There is an active emotional connection between her records and my ears. I am even transported to a more enlivened space when I listen to her sing.

***

Perfectly Reasonable (and very real) Dream: I hire (brown haired) Grace as my voice coach. She sits at the piano, playing while she sings. I work to show her my skill, but am too rusty to impress. Lessons quickly morph into a fun loving friendship. We're kindred spirits. We go shopping.

***

While compiling my newest compilation to showcase the true beauty of my favorite female vocalist, I'm stuck at track 4 --- playing Ai Garimasu over and over at full volume, feeling the intensity of the crescendo into each chorus grow stronger and stronger, and become more and more meaningful. Each build up reveals a deeper level of her soul. When she sings, she means it. When she does most anything, you know she damn well means it.

"That's what I like to see. I wanna SEE your love. And I wanna FEEL your love." -Ai Garimasu, Red Octopus 1975

We feel her love. And we see her love. This is the mantra of my winter, the song replaying in my heart, a color to brighten my grey, a push to move me forward.

THE GOSPEL OF THE CHROME NUN
A Grace Slick Compilation by MC - January 2009

1| Ballad of the Chrome Nun - Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun, 1973
2| Somebody To Love - Surrealistic Pillow, 1967
3| Play On Love - Red Octopus, 1975
4| Ai Garimasu - Red Octopus, 1975
5| Mexico - Jefferson Airplane, 1970
6| Father Bruce - The Great Society, 1966
7| White Rabbit - Jefferson Airplane
8| Greasy Heart - Crown of Creation, 1968
9| Devil's Den - Dragon Fly, 1974
10| Triad - Crown of Creation, 1968
11| High Flyin' Bird [live] - Live at the Monterey Pop Festival, 1967
12| Lawman - Bark, 1971
13| Fishman - From Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun, 1973
14| Sketches of China - From Baron Von Tollbooth and the Chrome Nun, 1973
15| Somebody to Love [live] - The Great Society, 1966

On Soul

To acknowledge the change into the new year, I've changed the name of this blog. Soul of a Seamster. So much of what I do creatively and in my work as a designer is about accessing my intuition...my soul. I think its safe to say that many working artists spend their time striving to not only find and follow their own intuition, but then do something truly meaningful and communicative with that information, those feelings.

Moving about the city day to day, I can't help but think that so much around me has lost its soul. Objects have lost their meaning, identities become cluttered by games of trend-chasing and fad-hopping, stripping our lives bare of the more deeply meaningful. Garments function as the perfect example of this; we can cover our bodies with cheap, mass produced layers of meaningless material, or we can invest in a larger sense of style, a new movement of thinkers and makers committed to offering goods for our lives that are embedded with the history that precedes its makers. Clothing that loves the time in which it lives, but remains in direct conversation with that which came before. Style that is freshly awake and inspires change, forward thinking, and a rekindled appreciation and honoring of the world's finest crafts. Time honored traditions of making....working with soul.

I want this blog to refine itself into a steady documentation of the things that interest me, inspire me, move me, touch me, drive me, and light the fire in my belly that helps me move forward on this creative life path I seem to have cut out for myself.

C-Press | Near | Far

The good news is that MC continues to make the news!

Coming soon to news stands in 18 countries:
February issue of IDOMENEE features MC in a photo editorial with Dries Van Noten and Thierry Mugler.
Many thanks to editor in chief Juan 2Santos for such a fabulous opportunity.


Coming soon to new stands in the Pacific North West: SEATTLE MAGAZINE features the MC Studio|Showroom.
Many thanks to fashion writer Lei Ann Shiramizu for her time and kindness.

WAS | IS

WAS: A Seamster’s Season: Winter

Documenting the trials and musings of a young man wholly invested in the decorum of the world, the dress of its people, and why any of it matters in the first place. As fashions come and go, we hope the driving pulse stays the same. Afterall, being a seamster is never out of season.


IS: Soul of a Seamster

Documenting the trials and musings of a young man wholly invested in the decorum of the world, the dress of its people, and why any of it matters in the first place. As fashions come and go, we hope the driving pulse stays the same. Realities change and confuse, while the soul holds the truth.

Update

In case you were wondering what the place looked like these days...

And now featuring the Incredible MC Balancing Cane Routine!

If Only You Believe In Miracles | Omen

Every second of 2009 has been a delight so far. I knew the trend would continue when, upon returning to Seattle from a lovely holiday vacation to Wisconsin, I was greeted with a large white envelope addressed in my own handwriting. In the upper left corner reads "Scrumbly Koldewyn". That's right, after finding the courage to write him directly to express my gratitude, Scrumbly wrote me back!

His letter is wonderful, and included was the photo I sent...now autographed on the red satin pillow atop his bed. I treasure the photo and letter, and am delighted to know that he was kind enough to take the time to respond.

Thank you, Scrumbly, for bringing this most perfect omen to kick off 2009. Its going to be a good year, friends!

2009

The holidays have come and gone, and 2009 is here at last! For months now I have been planning and scheming to develop new ways to help my business grow, my ideas become reality, and to teach the world the joys of fine clothing. As Seattle's newest menswear label, I have big plans....and of course want you all to be part of all the fun!

Little did I know, in my daily attempts to put MC on the map, Google Maps. has beat me to the chase. Their street views of my little corner of the world show a sequence of me leaving the shop to take out the trash. Lets hope this is some sort of training for dealing with paparazzi later in life.