Photos: girl pic

Balloon couture is not a new art.  It marries the tactile with the aesthetic.  As with the culinary arts, balloon art is sadly ephemeral.  These often painstaking pieces can take 20 or more hours to complete and last only slightly longer.  Like a delicate flower, they slowly wilt.  But the memory of their beauty is enduring.

Cotton, silk, wool even cashmere are simply natural products used for the production of clothing.  The same can be said for latex balloons.  Balloon dresses are the ultimate test of a true balloon artist.  Manipulating the slender tubes into a "fabric" without rupturing the delicate membranes takes hours and masterful skill.  The results...  breathtaking!

Designs can range from truly elegant evening wear to the most daring and provocative club couture.  Innovative designers from all over the world have been creating balloon fashions for industry runway shows for years.  Only in the past few years have balloon fashion artists begun to delve into the mainstream art  and fashion worlds.  In '09 Marie was chosen to work along side designer Todd Thomas and stylist Charlotte Stockdale as the exclusive balloon couturier for the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show.