I am all over today’s Etsy Love because it’s the creation of Queen Gilda, one of my fave blog-girls. Revasseur – it’s french for daydreamer, dontcha know? – showcases Gilda’s creations o’ fashion fabulousness.

Gilda grew up in sunny Singapore, and moved to Tokyo when she was 20 to go to the best fashion school in the world, Bunka Fashion College. Now she lives in New York, attending Parsons’ fashion design program – yep, she’s officially a fashion junkie!

I LOVE Gilda’s Revasseur mission statement:

“…I’ve been very lucky in my life, and I believe that clothes have been a huge part of that! I express myself best through the way that I dress, and I hope that any item of clothing you purchase from RÊVASSEUR becomes an extension of your personality too!…”

Come meet her, she’s simply fabu!

Gilda, describe yourself in 5 words…
(thinks i’m) funny, shy, daydreamer, ambitious, determined

Who is Queen Gilda and what is it you actually do?
I’m just a regular girl, who grew up in Singapore, complaining about the heat, going out for suppers, and spent most of my teenage years being captain of my school and club’s field hockey team. After graduating from Tokyo’s Bunka fashion college, I moved to new york to pursue a “different” fashion education at Parsons. I’ve always known I to work in fashion, it really didn’t matter what.

You’ve just launched Revasseur – tell us about it – why did you set it up?
I’m still at school, but my fingers got itchy and I just had to start doing something else besides school work. I was bored to death. and worked to death. I figured I had to do something on my own. RÊVASSEUR is providing me with a blank canvas for me to express myself and do whatever I want, regardless of how accepted it is. The way I dress myself is an expression of who I am, of my personality. That’s why all my designs have a little quirk to it. I feel more people need to have fun with what they wear! And I hope my designs will help them do that.

The name means “daydreamer” in french, which describes me perfectly. I spend half of my time daydreaming! Every cloud has a face, every toy starts to look like a hat, and every little thing reminds me of Japan.

How long have you been designing and making kick-ass creations?
I’ve always loved to draw, but I never really had art classes and didn’t know what I was doing! So although I’ve always had ideas in my head, it was all very 3d, and I had no idea how to express it on paper, so I just picked up scissors and a thread, ripped apart a lot of my own clothes and remade them the way I wanted to. That was the start, probably when I was about 15 or 16. It wasn’t ’til I started school at Bunka when I was about 21, that I learned how to do fashion illustrations, and also learned the technical side to designing, where I was able to bring my ideas to life!

What’s your favourite item you’ve got on sale right now?
unfortunately I have a very tiny online store now! More will be added as soon as I have proper pictures for them. My favourite is really the Ziggy Apaulet dress! I love it to bits. I’m quite short and definitely not model-thin, but i feel good in it. It represents my design concept very well, and isn’t too over-the-top and artsy. You will also notice half my garments now are harem pants. I live in them, and have them in just about every fabric out there! My favourite are the sequined harem pants. I mean, come on, who doesn’t love sequins? I get compliments every time i wear them too, which doesn’t hurt!

How do you find time to create, work, breathe? What’s a typical day in the life o’ Queen Gilda like?
When I’m at school at parsons, I don’t get to sleep often. There’s so much work, I usually sacrifice sleep about twice a week. In summer now though, I go out and explore new neighbourhoods on foot; it inspires me. I also love going to the museums when I can. I’ve been on museum trips about 15 times so far this summer. It’s great! A typical day involves me waking up and then going back to sleep, and then waking up again 30 minutes later. I’m on my macbook twittering and checking on my emails, and then I’m sewing! Alright, i lie. Sometimes I sit back on my sofa and stare out of the window and look at clouds. They form nice shapes that sometimes find their way into my sketches. Or I watch these Japanese tv shows that I’ve recorded online. They make me very happy. I usually work at night because my brain doesn’t function in the day.

What are you 5 must-have items?
Family, true friends, a cellphone or computer to communicate with them, lip gloss, and more clothes.

What’s your life motto?
“…today we work hard to go on vacation…”

I didn’t come up with it. it’s from a diesel ad i saw on the street like 10 years ago and took a picture of. It’s followed me from Singapore to Tokyo to New York – I still have it on my wall.

We love to travel – can you take us on a whistle-stop tour of your awesome city – where MUST we go, eat, hang out?!
God, I know nothing about New York! I do love my neighbourhood though. You must go to the museums here I think. The MET, and definitely the frick collection museum. I live in the east village and it’s great. Dingy and dodgy, but great. Food is great too, and I usually go to St Marks place for Japanese food. Whatever you do, don’t come in summer. It’s way too hot, sweaty, filled with tourists, and smells of dead rats and stale pee.

Which creative-types inspire you/do you dig?
People who will do what they do, who are true to themselves, no matter what the nay-sayers say. People who will not travel the beaten path. People who are different from others, people who have a voice, people who have a point of view and a story to tell. People who are brave.

Which era would you love to go visit and why?
The Rococo period. I want to wear cute shoes and powder my hair white. I want to wear crinolines and have boats and feathers in my hair. I also want to wear a men’s embroidered morning coat over a huge crinoline.

Gilda’s Sassy List – what’s your favourite:
Book: Pride and Prejudice - Janes Austen. I’m romantic at heart. HA!
City: Tokyo. period!
Movie: The Sound of Music. I know every song in there and everyone should too.
Way to chill: going for a walk, and then sitting in a park eating ice cream and drinking cold beers!
Shop: the comme des garcons store. in every city.
Website: well my favourite blogs are style bubble and kingdom of style of course!
Make up brand: rmk, anna sui, and MAC.
Food: food from back home! chicken rice, curries, prata, chwee kueh! haha! and anything Japanese!

Visit the fabu Miss Gilda’s creations at: www.revasseur.com and read her blogginz at: www.queengilda.com