Where There's Smoke, There's Blues...

When local talent Jordanne Renner approached Jen Kessler, head designer of Ghinda, about collaborating on an upcoming project, the rest of the Ghinda team held our breath in anticipation. The object was to work together to produce a gown for Jordanne to wear to the 2013 Wexner Gala here in Columbus, Ohio. The Wexner Gala celebrates the arts, as well as the supporters of them–both local and worldwide. Jordanne has been attending this celebration, which she calls the event of the year, since 2007. She says, “Since two years ago, where I made a cocktail dress out of newspaper, it has become thematic for me to create my dress…A basic cocktail dress simply isn’t enough.”

Inspired by the current Wexner Center exhibition Blues For Smoke, Jen and Jordanne have worked together for the past few weeks creating what would be a true, living work of art. The two creatives built the bodice intensely–Jordanne said it “fit like a glove”–and proceeded to actually sculpt the skirt of the dress three times before settling on a final manifestation.

Jordanne brought 9 yards of hand-painted muslin to the Ghinda studio to build with:

Version 1: 

Version 2:

Version 3, final design:

From Jordanne Renner: “We drank bubbles, fell into the blues music…Oddly enough, without much conversation, Jen and I had similar vibes with our vision.  Jen’s ability to turn the rough and tumble and madness of the shapes I desired into a solid, elegant piece is sensational. She is one-of-a-kind, just as the dress is. The dress evoked the essence of two visions, two creatives coming together as one, the blues and all its varieties and somehow amidst all of this, it still rang true as a dress for me.”

From Jennifer Kessler: “It was such a refreshing and inspiring journey to collaborate with an artist whose vision was so unique and personal. Each part of the gown was created particularly to capture the rhythm and flow of the Blues and Smoke expedition. We wanted to sculpt a gown that complemented not only the entire event, but the art, and the artist herself!”

Many thanks and photo credit to the amazingly talented Jordanne Renner. To learn more about her experiences and work, please click here!