Costumes and Silk

[hoh jennifer l <jlhoh1@mail.wm.edu>]

Attached is a nifty source for silk fabrics that may be of interest.  
Apparently the company in question has many patterns approp. to our 
periods of interest, as well as reasonable prices (everything is 
relative!) and a good mail order reputation.  They come highly 
recommended on the costuming list...

Also, if anyone is REALLY interested in the braveheart costuming issue, 
this topic is currently being discussed to death on the costuming list, 
so you might want to subscribe. (Write to the listserve at the adress 
below...)

Ginevra

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 2 Jun 95 10:53:04 TZ
From: Edward Wright <edwright@microsoft.com>
To: h-costume@andrew.cmu.edu
Subject: Oriental Silk


In response to numerous requests, I have dug out the address and phone 
number for this company:

Oriental Silk Co.
8377 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(213) 651-2323

Here is a portion (actually, less than half) of the price list I picked 
up back in January:

Silk pongee --             36" width, gingham and prints                
 $6.95/yd  Swatches $1
                                         45" width, ecru/off white      
                         7.95/yd
Jacquard crepe --     36", 20 colors                                    
            15.95/yd  Swatches $1
Chiffon georgette --   42/44", 30 colors                                
            9.95/yd  Swatches $1
China silk --                  45", 50 colors                           
                       6.95/yd  Swatches $1
Satin stripe chiffon --  44", over 20 colors                            
         18.95/yd  Swatches $1
Palace silk brocade -36", over 50 colors, including many
                                                  designs of 
white-on-white                 9.95/yd  Swatches $1
                                           45", over 20 colors          
                         12.95/yd
Tissue tafetta --             36", over 15 solid colors                 
       16.95/yd  Swatches $1
                                            48"                         
                                       19.95
Silk corduroy --              33/36", 7 colors                          
               15.95/yd  Swatches $0.50
Metallic stripe chiffon--35/36", over 20 colors                         
    18.95/yd  Swatches $1
                                            45"                         
                                        19.95/yd  Swatches $1
Satin tapestry --              30", many designs                        
          12.95/yd  Swatches $1
Satin stripe crepe --      44/45", over 30 solid colors                 
 17.95/yd  Swatches $1
Jaquard charmeuse -- 45", 40 colors                                     
       18.95/yd  Swatches $1
Silk velvet --                     45", 18 colors                       
                     19.95/yd  Swatches $0.50
Silk cut velvet --               45", stripes                           
                      24.95/yd  Swatches $0.50
Pearl crepe jacquard --45"                                              
                  15.95/yd  Swatches $0.50
Silk crepe satin (charmeuse)-45", over 30 colors                      
17.95/yd  Swatches $1
Heavy silk crepe (4 ply)-45", 5 colors                                  
          29.95/yd  Swatches $1

All of these are 100% silk except the corduroy, which is 76% and 24% 
cotton, and the velvets, which are silk/rayon blends. If you've ever 
gone into any large fabric store and tried to imagine what it would be 
like if all the tacky, plastic tafetta, chiffon, satin, etc. were real 
silk, you will have some idea what Oriental Silk's selection is like.

In addition to silk, they carry some wool and an assortment of imported 
linen --

Fine Chinese linen --         33/36", 7 colors                          
     $10.95/yd  Swatches $1
Heavy Scottish linen --      54", 9 colors, jacket-weight          
16.95/yd  Swatches $1
Irish handkerchief linen -- 60", 7 colors                               
        24.95/yd  Swatches $1

They also sell Chinese mandarin jackets, which are not on their price 
sheet.  I seem to recall the jackets, which are completely embroidered 
by hand, selling for around $80 when I was there.  (And yes, I do mean 
that the entire jacket is embroidered.)