I've got exactly 60 hours til deadline and like always when it's getting closer to the end of the making of a collection the doubts starts coming... Is it good enough? Am I good enough? Every time I'm giving so much of myself. Every collection is a part of me. I turn myself inside out to push myself to go further... and at the end of all of it I'm completely drained and exhaused...

...so I'm spending yet another Friday night home alone by the sewing machine. Is it worth it? Nights like these I don't know, but I've already sacrificed too much to really think about it... and the truth is I'm writing this more for myself than for anyone else to read... I need to remember why I gave up the one who meant the most to me... and the only thing that can make up for that loss is making it big in fashion and that is what I have to do. I've come too far to give up and given up far too much to turn back...

So why do I keep doing this to myself? Are all creative people like this? A part of me thinks this is the best collection I've ever made and it probably is, BUT another part of me keeps telling me I'm still not good enough... I need to get that apprentice diploma in tailoring, maybe then I'm good enough. And then I have to re-build my website to have a proper webshop instead of fucking etsy and get more resellers in other countries, maybe then I'm good enough. And of course I need to show my collections on London Fashion Week and dress celebrities in L.A, maybe then I'm good enough. But maybe it's a good thing I never think I'm good enough.. then I'm gonna keep pushing myself and hopefully I will reach my goal some day. Preferably within the next year or at least before I turn 30.

Oh god, this must have been incredably boring to read... Sometimes writing is the only thing that can make me feel better and I do. I don't wanna call my ex and cry anymore. I'm gonna pull myself together, finish off the collection and feel good about it. (Did I even believe that last thing myself??) Haha, I'm pathetic... :P

Thank you for reading this til the end. Now I'm gonna try to get some sleep... :)

Lena xo

Over the past months I don't know how many e-mails I've received from bloggers wanting clothes in the exchange for a review. I'm flattered, but most of you won't even get an answer. Every chick over the age of 12 got a blog these days and probably the same amount of readers... Unless you can prove to me your blog actually got readers (and the right ones for me!) I'm not gonna be interested.

If you really liked my design you would have written about it anyway. Then you could have contacted me to say your readers like this and would like to know more or see the clothes on a real person they can refer to; can you please send me a sample for a review? Probably, yes. But just sending me an e-mail asking to get stuff for free without really telling me anything about your blog... I find that very rude. You wouldn't walk into a store asking to get clothes for free.

I don't think people asking about these things understands the work behind each garment. I'm making everything myself. I'm running a business by myself. It's lots of hard work and really hard to make ends meet. I can't give away clothes for free just like that... I know how important good PR is and that the best PR is when people are telling other people, or when you can see a real person, not a model, wear the garment and look good in it. So I know the importance of bloggers, but I can't afford giving a free garment to everyone asking and I don't have the time to answer every e-mail I get about it.

Last but not least; I'm glad there's an interest for my work, but if you like it so much; buy the shit! I can't live on air, you know...

Lena xo

I'm still feeling more dead than alive after an intense last week, ending up with the PR shoot for my fall/winter collection last night. We were supposed to have shot on a graveyard with lots of crosses and graves around for a real cliché heavy metal feeling, but as the rain kept pouring down we had to change location and ended up in the photographers basement. It looked damn cool actually. Haven't got the pics yet, but the photographer sent me this behind the scenes photo earlier this morning;

It's a quite funny pic with the model doing a funny face while I'm lacing up the skirt + I'm looking so so tiny next to her! Haha, super-petite! That's why I should never wear flats. Ever. Especially not next to models wearing 5" heels. But I love my Converse and I'm way to lazy to wear heels to a shoot :P

Are you looking forward to see the real thing?? I am! So much! This shoot was great, everone was awesome working with and I'm very happy with the collection. For once.

Lena xo

After yesterday's sort of flu attack I'm starting to feel somehow a little bit back on track again, though I've lost one important work day... We're shooting the PR pics for the new collection on Sunday and I've got tons of new ideas popping up in my head that needs to be created before then! Handsewing takes such a long time, but Im in love with sequin shoulder pads and this shoot needs to contain at least one pair in black and one in silver.

It's a funny thing how I consider this day wasted, as I realize I've been working for somewhere around 12 hours... 6 of those has been spent handsewing sequins onto ONE shoulder pad and starting on the other one... It takes nearly 5 hours to make one... Insane, but relaxing. Then comes the big question; who's gonna afford this?? Lucky for me I've got some more sellable options in the collection... :) Can't wait to show you all! It feels so great, and I feel so creative again!

Now I need to get some sleep.. Photographer meeting tomorrow and then I need to have ideas for the shoot and some actual garments to show :P

Nighty nigh!

Lena xo

It seems like I've misplaced my brain. I screw things up, forget things, make wrong decisions... I'm completely absentminded right now and it's been like this for over a month. Worst of all mistakes; I've totally forgotten about meetings -important ones- and did some number swopping when paying my bills so my rent for July was never payed - good job, Lena! Seriously; come on and get a grip for fuck sake!

I don't know what's going on. I've blamed the heat, the stress and my bad break-up, but seriously I don't know...I don't miss deadlines. I don't miss meetings. And I don't forget things. Not when it comes to my job anyway. It's like I've got some sort of amnesia that's just blocking out all the important stuff. Frankly; I'm a bloody mess at the moment.

So if anyone seen a hot pink overcooked brain somewhere it's probably mine. If so, please let me know, I kind of miss it... :P

Lena xo

I just received the August issue of swedish Elle and once again it strikes me; swedish fashion really is one year behind... Now they're writing about the red dress (wasn't that last fall??) and drapery and catsuits. Innovative. I've seen it before. Everywhere. The latex trend haven't even hit Sweden yet, and personally I don't think it ever will, and I wouldn't mind. I feel like it has already past. Out. Next please! So for those of you who was hoping to see me make latex gear; sorry, ain't gonna happen. I hate it. However; I do think there are some really talanted latex designers, but that doesn't mean I wanna do what they do. They do their thing, I do mine.

This magazine also reminds me of the "swedish fashion miracle" and how much I don't wanna be a part of it. What's so fantastic about a pair of jeans and a t-shirt?? Yes, swedish brands do the casual look really well, and swedes are a well dressed people, all and all. But only when it comes to the every day look. In France, Italy and England there's a fine tailoring tradition. High fashion. Sweden's best fashion export is H&M. Low quality cheap shit, made to last not even one season. That's our fashion tradition. Lovely, isn't it??

Haha, oh god, I sound so bitter! I love fashion, but my relashionship to the industry is really a love/hate affair. I love the fact that it changes all the time, but I don't like where things are heading at. I just don't get the thing with buying cheap substitutes instead of the real thing. I also hate stupid people who just can't get the difference between buying a handmade piece from me and going shopping at H&M. Of course my prices are higher coz I'm doing everything myself, my quality is high and my designs are not available in every corner of every street in the entire fucking world.

So thank you to all of you who actually gets it; I couldn't do this without you :)

Lena xo

All of a sudden there's so much going on I can't keep up, but it's gooood! I love being busy and having lots fun projects coming up!

A couple a months ago, stylist and photographer - and also personal friend of mine - Karolina Krupa borrowed some clothes from me for a hair show with super hair dressers Larsson & Lange in Stockholm. Today they finally put up some pics on the website! Look for a golden Gaga-ish puffy dress (the one on the pic below) and a pair of rainbow coloured spandex leggings; that's what's mine :)

Just click the picture to go to the Larsson & Lange website to see more pics from the show!

Today I also got a request from glamour model December Wiklund to do her dress for a gala in Gothenburg, where she's been nominated for "sexiest girl on the Avenue." Haha, didn't even know there was an award for such thing, but great for her, so congrats! The dress is gonna be super-mega-hot :)

Have a nice day everyone!

Lena xo

Another rollercoaster day in the life of Lena Quist! Feels like I'm sort of back in the game of rock' n' roll again :)

I realized I haven't been talking so much about what's happened lately. I've got some really cool projects coming up and some already finished, such as; I've been working with Dirty Passion guitarist Chrisse on a new pair of stage jeans. I will be working more with Crazy Lixx for more stage costumes. And I don't think I've said anything about one of my all time favorite projects; I'm gonna make a ring attire for pro-wrestler Kasey Owens! The design is already finished and I'm gonna start the sewing next week! So excited!

Next week (or if it was this weekend.. can't remember...)Rachel Holland is styling a shoot with Dark Daze for Gangup Magazine using two of my swimsuits, so keep your eyes open for the next issue. Bet it's gonna be lush!

And I just got this pic from one of my customers; the lovely Nieska. Totally made my day!

I'm glad to know I've got so hot customers! ;D Now I'm gonna do some sketches on a Kat von D top to another customer :)

Lena xo

Ok people, I need some piece of advice... I've been working a lot on my f/w collection recently and after this spring/summer collection, which I didn't have the time to give my all, I just wanna go all in and continue on with my new more Hollywood glamour look, but it's bloody time to turn up the level and add some true Lena Quist crazy-ass rock' n' roll! Coz this is getting me nowhere...

So my question for you is; what about yellow leopard print?? Or maybe a turquiose/bluish? The rest of the collection is very grey/white/black. Including a beautiful grey leopard print. But I need to add more colours and more leopard prints, hehe :)

(Small shitty pics, I know, but that's all I got right now...)

Now please send me some sort of feedback on the colour choice, on facebook or a message. I wanna know what you think (even though I've already made up my mind about the yellow; I think it's awesome! (And pretty ugly, but mostly awesome :)))

Lena xo

Time for the next blog sell-out! The thing is I still have sooo much clothes to get rid of, so it might be one clear-out this summer.. haven't quite decided yet.. This time it's mostly stuff that never made it into the collections but were made anyway, so mostly it's one of a kind garments.

Rules are the same as last time: Have a look and send me an e-mail if you're interested in something. There's only one of each, so don't hesitate, it might be gone the next time you're checking! First one to message me about the garment is the one who gets it. Payment through paypal or by bank account transfer. Payment condition is the same as when ordering from my ordinary webshop; 5 days.

Shipping cost is added to the prices: 25 SEK within Sweden. £5 to England. €6 within Europe. $10 to the US/Australia/Rest of the world. If you want an extra insurance let me know, it's $10.

So here's the stuff for sale this time:

Studded leather-look spandex dress. Cone studs on the waist band and flat on the top. Triple circular skirt. Fits a rather big size S or a small Medium.

Price: 1000 SEK / € 110 / £ 90 / $135  = 75% off!

Black drapery top w. multicoloured sequins. Size XS. SOLD!

Black stretch lace dress with double skirts and a small butterfly sleeve. One of a kind. Got a small hole on the right brest. Size S.

Price: 150 SEK / € 17 / £ 14 / $ 21

Black ballerina vinyl skirt. Closed with 2 big safety pins and comes with a big matching bow brooch. Size S/M. Price: 150 SEK / € 17 / £ 14 / $ 21

Quilted gold spandex jeans. Plain front. One of a kind. Size M. Price: 300 SEK / € 34 / £ 28 / $ 42

Rainbow coloured spandex pants with star pattern. One of a kind. Size S. Short lenght - 75 cm / 30". Price: 200 SEK / € 23 / £18 / $ 28

Leather-look spandex pants with quilted gold sides. One of a kind. Barely used. Size S. Price: 200 SEK / € 23 / £18 / $ 28

Hot pink hole leggings in spandex. Price: 150 SEK / € 17 / £ 14 / $ 21 SOLD!

Short silver zebra top with puffy sleeves. SOLD!

Turquoise metallic zebra dress. SOLD!

Hit me up if you have any questions or would like measurements or more pics of the garments!

Lena xo