As you can imagine, for someone like me who loves fabric, this was the fun and exciting part. However the fabric hunting process took a very long time. I searched high and low for different waterproof materials.
I knew that it needed to be lightweight, strong and most importantly a waterproof material that would stand the test of time.
You would be surprised how many claim to be waterproof but in reality they just aren’t. It also needed to have a certain feel to the fabric not only to touch but also how it looked and hung.
I wanted to source a fabric that was made in the UK and of a very high quality. After months of testing and deliberation I decided to go with waxed cotton.
This traditional method of waterproofing fabric has definitely stood the test of time. The waxed cotton look has become intertwined with traditional English past-times and the look reminded me of being outdoors.
The more I worked with it the more I realized how supple it could become. It has a vintage look about it that fits in so well with my Nouvelle Habit dream – I just love it.
At this point my mind went into hyper drive and I couldn’t stop the ideas flooding in. When I was awake I was drawing, writing and sewing as much as I could. Looking at buttons, threads, lining fabrics… every little detail was carefully researched and tested.
And when I was asleep I dreamt of riding in the open countryside on my horse wearing my beautiful Nouvelle Habit creation.