The INspiration
A page for those who want to know the inspiration behind the design!
Learn the story behind some of Dark Jasmine products. What they mean, and why I design them, and my thought process of constructing them the way that I have. Enjoy!
"Angled Stitching"
Dress
Another one of my patchwork creations. I wanted to maxi dress version of my patch work design and instead of square fabric pieces, I wanted to see if I could do it in different shapes than my usual. And like all my patchwork pieces, they are made from the scraps of fabric from the new and former clothing collections. I love to recycle fabrics this way because it give me creative liberty to try and use what's left over and make one of a kind pieces.
I do try to make the sizes of these limited edition pieces, as random as possible. Meaning, I try to either decided what size the final garment will be before start I sewing the fabric pieces together or I put together all the scrap fabric pieces that is leftover, and see which pattern size I can use for that piece. Making each one of these pieces special for that one customers that going to buy it. Each patchwork garment has over 100-1000 recycled pieces, sewn together to make one garment.
"Dark Jasmine Tee #1-3"
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My come back t-shirts! Since my brand Dark Jasmine, LLC has been gone for two years; naturally some people have forgotten who I was and thought I would never return. While others still had hope in me, and kept begging me to come back into the fashion world, so I felt that this year was the time to come back. I want to show in this new collection the way that my absence has been tearing me apart, and how I'm now rising from grave of being forgotten.
“Punk Me Out! Face Mask”
Accessory
A facemask with a filter pocket and wire tip nose. Each mask is made of thick winter material and has different designs and textures. Each mask is meant to be wrapped around the back of the head; closed and kept in place with Velcro. Each mask represents how we are all trying to keep ourselves together doing the times of 2020.
There was a total of 12 face mask. Each mask had a different inspiration written on a letter given to those who've purchase the face mask. I don't have any of those letters saved anywhere because they were personally written with my fully thoughts and opinion on everything happening during the 2020 pandemic. So to those who have received those letters, I hope you kept them. Because only you know each individual meaning behind each face mask.
PLEASE KNOW! That half of the profit of these mask went towards the NAACP.
"Stitched Miss"
Dress
This dress was an experiment. I wanted to see if I could hand sew thick rope into a wet latex material and make the skirt portion of the dress look texturize.
And it worked.
A lot of people when they first see the dress from a far or in photos, believe the skirt is made of a different material or that I simple crumbled up the wet latex to make it look 'crunchy.' But upon closer inspection, you will see the random patterns and direction of each rope woven into the skirt.
I believe this would fall into the category of couture; my first haute couture piece for Dark Jasmine, LLC.
"The Misses"
Dress
My first evening dress. Doesn't have too much of a inspirational background or story. I just wanted to make a dress that let you know right a way that you are speaking to the Misses of the household. Not the Mistress, not the Mrs., the Misses. A woman that is unmarried and is completely capable of doing/getting whatever she wants. A powerful women; even at times her rough edges show, she is just as graceful and elegant as any upper class woman.
Beautiful and dangerous.
That's what I was going for in this dress.
"Insanity Sweater"
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The insanity sweater came from a simple inspiration: the pure insanity of 2020 and how some people need to be in straight jackets!
Also, I've always wanted to have a sweater with extra long sleeve to cover my hands and drape over them as I walk, that still fits with Dark Jasmine style, with the frayed edges at the seams.
"Forgotten Queen"
Dress
This was my finally dress during my 2021 NYCFW runway show. The inspiration behind this dress was me, wanting to create another patch work piece, and the worry of being forgotten. As a fashion designer, you are always told to stay on trend, keep promoting your brand, and eventually you'll get noticed and become big in the fashion industry. Because last thing you would want is to be forgotten... And there's so many brands that have been forgotten, failed, and no longer exist because of how difficult the fashion industry is and how it is in fact A LOT OF CONTENT WORK!!
For me, to show how much work I'm willing to put into my brand is by doing patch out; sewing small pieces of fabric individually to then, cut out into a patterns to make fabulous pieces.
Then I start to thinking about how climbing up the fashion industry latter, is like climbing up the royal society latter (this also, might be also because I was watching shows like Bridgerton and old Victorian movies.) You have to do everything possible to get ahead and that it can get messy, exhausting, and at times destructive to try to do. How you're left in pieces at times afterwards and have to pull yourself together. That's what this dress is. To show what work looks like and how you can still be beautiful even if you are forgotten.
"About Last Night..."
Dress
A dress meant to help you create your own story after a night out.... I was inspired by short cocktails dresses and wondered what they would look like with a bit of Dark Jasmine flare. I mixed-n-matched two different materials (the wet latex and stretch pleather) and added hand stitching with thick rope so it would stand and add texture to the dress.
"Guard Belt"
Accessory
The Guard Belt was inspired by my emotional boundaries. Keeping away everything that wished to harm me and only letting those brave enough to come near. That's why the different size and level of spikes, gives you an intimidation factor. The way the belt expands than squeezes you tight, like a protective hug. Over the years I have created a shield over my emotions and kept people away from me because it was easier than being hurt again... As much as I have been more expressive about my feelings, I am still heavily guarded.
“When it come to getting to know me and becoming a close friend or partner, I’m like an onion. You might think everything you need to know is aqt the surface. But there are still so many more layers of me you gotta get through first.”
-Jasmine Goodwin
"Too Gothicc Hoodie"
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A soft black cotton-mixed fabric hoodie with graphic print on the front. I wanted to have with this type of phrasing on this hoodie, because I wanted to make point. There's not a lot of plus sizes available in the fashion world; nor is there a wide enough range within other gothic and alternative brands. Or at least that go pass XXL. I feel that needs to change. This hoodie is a statement piece; that anyone can be goth and still be a size XXS or size 6XL and bigger. The subculture has no size limit; so why should gothic and alternative fashion have limitations? I truly believe that you should be as spooky and gothic as you want no matter what your size. The one thing Dark Jasmine, LLC will always have is plus sizes available for as many clothing pieces as I can.
“Shear Magic Poncho”
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A shear fabric poncho that's cut in sharp angles at the end. This poncho is one size fits most. “Shear Magic Poncho” is an everyday wear item that you can dress up or down; and can go with any other piece of clothing you already have to make it more magical. It is a get layering piece. I was inspired to create such a poncho, especially for the summer goths, who want to still style their clothing in layers, but still stay cool in the summer heat.
"I'm too Goth for this..."
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The inspiration/story behind the 'I'm too Goth for this...' graphic tee was the continuous request for a graphic t-shirt to be created while my brand was just staring becoming popular. Now, now hate to graphic tee designers, but it was never my thing; it was never something I could be creative with. I wasn't able to slap just one design on a t-shirt and call it a day. That just was me nor my brand. While struggle with designing a graphic tee and trying to deciding what it would say. I remember grunting at my laptop with frustration and saying out loud: "I'm too Goth for this shit."
And then it hit me: How many of us has been in a situation or at a function where you know this isn't you or your type of scene? I know a lot of people within the subculture who feels the exact same way when they go to a family function that makes them stick out like sore thumb. Or feel frustrated doing something that isn't like them but end up doing it anyways because it'll make others happy. Thus, the 'I'm to Goth for this...' graphic tee was born. Showcasing frustration, feeling out of place, and doing/being somewhere you don't want be.
“Pentagram Spiked Body harness”
Accessory
The pentagram harness has been an unintentional idea of mine. As some of you know, (because you have seen me in person vending. I have a large chest. And just like anyone with a large chest, it can be difficult to found harnesses that fits your chest size. When pentagram harnesses became popular, I did try out other brands harnesses first before ever even thinking about creating my own. And the reason for that was because:
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I had zero intentions of following the pentagram craze and designing one of my own.
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I was hoping that other designers would create a pentagram harness for larger chest sizes and plus size women.
But I was proven wrong. I needed to create my own for large chested customers. I used shibari rope layering to design my pentagram and that's how my harness was created.
The body harness with or without spikes, comes in the color black or white, with medium size silver rings. This accessory piece is a great add on to any outfit.
“Black Pixie Dress”
Dress
2-year anniversary dress!! Celebrate my years of being a fashion with this one of a kind dark dress. This dress was inspired by Jernike; the face and model/promoter of this brand. This dress is made from soft black polyester stretch cotton with black stretch net overlay with cut-out details and a shear tulle bottom. This is a pullover dress and can be tied together at the shoulders in either a knot, bow, or however you like it.
“Blood Lust Bikini Set”
Swimwear
We lust for your blood.... This two-piece bikini set is a dark and seductive, all wet latex (PVC like) swimsuit. The top has cut out bat wings on the collar and the bottoms are shaped into a coffin with elastic band on the sides. This swimsuit is to die for! One of a kind swimwear can't be found anywhere else.
“Bat Wing”
Swimwear
Be wrapped in the wings of darkness with this wet latex (PVC like) and shear one-piece swimsuit. This swimsuit is designed to look like a bat wing wrapping you from behind and covering whatever you don’t want people to see. This is a one of a kind swimwear can't be found anywhere else.
"Oh Batty! Top"
Swimwear
This swimsuit top is made from shear black fabric with a pleather bat wings stitched on the front and a deep swoop neck back and a thick elastic bottom seam band. Washer and dryer friendly.
“Mistress Bodysuit”
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Inspired by the movie character "Elvira: Mistress of the Dark". This black velvet bodysuit has a deep the V-neck cut in the front that is (if I do say so myself) Elvira approved; with a black cotton wool-like string laced at the front that gives it a more edgy but seductive look. The long sleeves are cut into wicked triangles at the ends that can seduce any pray that you desire. This bodysuit, though velvet, is very light and breathable and can be worn in almost every season. The garment is a slip on and is snapped together by the crutch area. You can dress it up or down by wearing it as is, with some tights, or with any bottoms that you would like. It's the perfect bodysuit for any occasion.
"Black Mess"
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A black crop top with unique black, cream, and white triangle and square pieces; each shaped piece of fabric is made up of silk, cotton, muslin, and stretch crepe fabric. Then each piece is sewn on top with finished edge stitching. The top’s base is made from black stretch crepe fabric with black short shear sleeves; making it easy to stay cool in warm weather. This top is great for that 'standing out in the crowd' type of person; that
is look something different from
what's already out there.
"White Mess"
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A white crop top with unique black, cream, and white triangle and square pieces; each shaped piece of fabric is made up of silk, cotton, muslin, and stretch crepe fabric. Then each piece is sewn on top with finished edge stitching. The top’s base is made from white cotton fabric with short white shear sleeves; making it easy to stay cool in warm weather. This top is great for that 'standing out in the crowd' type of person; that
is look something different from
what's already out there.
"Pieces of the Sea"
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A handmade t-shirt, made up of four different pieces of fabric such as silk, cotton, polyester, and spandex. This creative top is meant to look torn apart and put back together; like collecting the dark parts of the sea and making it your own. Dark Jasmine loves nothing more than taking small but unique pieces of fabric and put them together to make a one a of a kind top. I make these t-shirts every time I finish making a new clothing line. With too small of pieces, to make other top or donate the larger pieces of fabric to stores or schools who are willing to take them. This top is limited addition; I will not be making anymore. Each shirt is different, so get your one of a kind tops that no one else has.