Jess Daly: AMANDA PALMER

Photo by Jim Batt. Costumes styled by Jess Daly 2012

It began with stripping koalas, continued with stripping geishas, followed by gold

Gucci alligators, chainsaws and orgy photoshoots in black NYC penthouse apartments.

From Melbourne to New York, my collaboration with US punk cabaret queen of the ukelele AMANDA FUCKING PALMER

began almost two years ago, and there's certainly never been a dull moment.

SECRET KOALA STRIPPERS AT THE FORUM

I first met Amanda when I was hired along with Agent Cleave to be SURPRISE KOALA STRIPPERS at AFP"s show at the Forum, Melbourne in 2011. Her manager Eric likes to prank Amanda at the end of tour, and given her album title "Amanda Palmer Goes Down Under"- we themed our costumes as such (giant koala suits, flannie shirts, and finally- bejwelled mirkins) and we burst onstage during her fab track MAP OF TASMANIA!

Check out the video here:

STYLING THE BAND

I reconnected with Amanda in December 2011 when she relocated to Melbourne to record her new album. Her wildly talented and attractive new band members arrived soon after, three young lads I now count as dear friends, who comprise

THE GRAND THEFT ORCHESTRA!

AFP and the band performed a series of fabulous shows at the Northcote Social Club-

road-testing all their new material off the record they were about to record.

In preparation for the design for their upcoming world tour costumes, I styled outfits for the band and Amanda for these shows, each week we experimented with different items and mixed and matched. Initially inspired by New Romantic, glam rock- the look then took from Egyptian and finally to ART DECO!

AMANDA PALMER

DRUMS- MICHAEL MCQUILKEN

GUITAR- CHAD RAINES

BASS- JHEREK BISHOP

AFP and the Grand Theft Orchestra rockin out at the Northcote Social Club!

...and what better way to open the show than with myself and Agent Cleave as

STRIPPING GEISHAS!

Photos Jessie Green

...followed by an epic end of tour show with guest star appearance by

BAUHAUS bassist DAVID J!

Check out the following INCENDIARY performance by Amanda, GTO and David's rendition of "Bella Legosi's Dead" complete with gothic funeral march by Amanda, Cleave and myself.
(Better check that one off my bucket list)

MAKING THE WORLD TOUR COSTUMES!

MY BATTLE PLAN!

It was full steam ahead at my East Brunswick studio- designing and making the upcoming WORLD TOUR COSTUMES for Amanda and the band. I enlisted the help of a dream team to help me realise the construction of many of the garments:

ELISSA HULLAH

BENJAMIN LEW

ANITA STEVENS

With additional help from: Anthony Cleave (Kimono & stockings graphic design), Katy Robinson (Kimono screen print), Kathleen Dittmar (hand painted stockings).

Some of my initial sketches for Amanda's outfit

A lot of inspiration for the fabrics and shapes were derived from Art Deco

I took inspiration from a lot of Art Deco jewellery, especially for Chad's belt

Fabric samples for Chad's belt

Elissa Hullah who GAVE AN ENTIRE WEEK DAY AND NIGHT to sew all the boys accessories at my studio.

Chad's belt in progress

Jherek's cravat!

Fabric samples I chose for Michael's wrist cuffs. Note how geeky I am: the fabric on the left even had little drums on it...only he and I will ever know...

Me, deciding on the beading layout for Chad's belt

Lots of sparkly goodies for Amanda's art deco headpiece- and beginning the construction of the headpiece

Millinery may look simple- it isn't. The framework you see here took me around 8 hours to complete. Lots of painstaking handsewing and measuring. Phew.

Amanda's headpiece in progress!

Me modelling one of Amanda's new gloves (in fabric to match her skirt!)

Fashionista and tailor extrordinaire Benjamin Lew hard at work constructing Amanda's epic skirt

NEW YORK CITY!
JUNE 2012: My relocation to New York coincided nicely with Amanda and the band's return to the city at the same time. A few alterations and finishing touches had to be put on the tour costumes, that I completed with the help of my two gorgeous NY interns Diane Kagoyire and Megan Havner.

Me adding embellishments to Michael's jacket

In the studio: Megan altering Amanda's skirt

The costume makers on the table adjacent were making wings for the Victoria's Secret Angels show.
I was deeply impressed.

Diane and I popped into the studio where the band were rehearsing. We were treated to a special run-through of their show for their upcoming Brooklyn Gallery show; the entire album acoustic! (note the pots and pans!) Genius!