2013 'Dans le Rose' Breast Cancer Awareness Gown

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for the third year in a row Montagne Noire is introducing a Special Edition gown, "Dans le Rose", a satin Victorian day gown with matching hat in pink, for just 100L!

In RL I'm a survivor of breast cancer. In 2010 I underwent a double mastectomy and chemotherapy, and completed radiation therapy in January 2011. I'm currently on medication therapy for ten years to prevent the cancer from returning.

I created this gown, and the previous special edition gowns for Breast Cancer Awareness Month (in October of each year), with the hope of spreading awareness about breast cancer to younger women in SL -- I was 42 when I was diagnosed, but have met many women who were diagnosed in their 20s and 30s.

So here is my PSA: if you are over 40, please get that annual mammogram. If you are under 40, you are never too young to start monthly self exams.

I thought breast cancer was something that could never happen to me, but I've come to realize that a diagnosis does not mean a death sentence either.


This dress set is meant to celebrate the dreams, beauty and creativity of all women in SL, and I hope you enjoy it. Proceeds from this purchase benefit my continuing medical treatment.

There are many special events this month throughout Second Life to raise funds and awareness for breast cancer research and treatment. One of my favorites is Boobiethon, going on now through the weekend in various locations. This is the final year for the event, so please do check it out -- organizers Eva Bellambi and Serra Anansi have put so much time and effort into this wonderful event for the last six years, and they deserve a round of applause.

Thank you for your support!

Our first mesh release: Le Voyageuse!

Montagne Noire presents its very first (partial) mesh outfit, "Le Voyageuse" (The Traveler), a Victorian/Edwardian wool traveling gown with matching hat and decaled suitcase, in SIX colors.

 Le Voyageuse was created with mesh, sculpted and flexi prim elements. Both the jacket and skirt are rigged mesh, and come in 5 standard sizes to best fit your avatar. Alpha mask layers are also provided for additional fit adjustments.

 Le Voyageuse is part of our new clothing line, "Belle Epoque" (Beautiful Era), dresses with fashion elements that reflect the changes in clothing styles between the late Victorian (roughly 1880-1900) and Edwardian eras (roughly 1900-1920). Wearing the skirt with the bustle, the ensemble is ideal for late Victorian era roleplay; wear the skirt without the bustle and you are instantly prepared to enter any Edwardian themed roleplay.

As a new release, this week this outfit is currently 50% off retail, just 125L, at our main store ONLY. A free demo is also available in our Marketplace shop.

New Steampunk gown @ A Clockwork Spiral

A Clockwork Spiral is now underway!

ACS is a shopping and music event featuring more than 35 steampunk/goth, dieselpunk/goth and dark Victoriana merchants to help raise money for the National Kidney Foundation.

As one of the co-sponsors, Montagne Noire has a BRAND NEW Victorian Steampunk gown available right now at the event.

Also at our location is a 10L "monster slippers" gacha machine, with 100% of proceeds going to the NKF.

A Clockwork Spiral is on now on the Cursed sim through Sunday, Sept. 22. Hope to see you there!

New! Une Bonne Femme - Victorian satin dress & hat

Finally, a new gown from Montagne Noire!

"Une Bonne Femme" (A Good Woman), is a Victorian satin bustle day gown with matching hat.

The dress comes in onyx black, sapphire blue, topaz brown, emerald green, ruby red and amethyst purple, and is currently on sale for 50% off (just 125L!) at our main store in Caledon Oxbridge Village.

The turquoise version of this dress is Montagne Noire's Autumn 2013 Group Gift, available in store only.

Une Bonne Femme is mod/copy, allowing you to tailor the garment to your proportions, and was created with both standard and sculpted prims.

New "Novembre" 100L ball gown out now

Montagne Noire Clothiers presents "Novembre," a seasonally themed Victorian ball gown in copper leaf velvet and accented with autumn flowers and ribbons.

Each month MNC presents a specially designed ball gown corresponding to the month's holidays and seasonal inspirations, at the bargain price of 100L. Our "Decembre" gown is available now too!

I hope you enjoy this gown and have fun at the many Harvest and Thanksgiving balls and events that are planned around Second Life.

"Le Peignoir" Victorian nightgown set now available

Montagne Noire Clothiers presents "Le Peignoir," a ladies robe jacket, nightgown and sleep cap set in pearl, ivory and onyx.

This peignoir set is appropriate for most 18th-20th century boudoir settings. The sleeveless chemise and pantaloons can be worn under most dresses (sans the lace sleeve cuffs).

The set also comes with a lightable candle holder, to help you see down dark hallways. Simply touch the candle and a glowing flame will light your way.

As a new release, "Le Peignoir" is 50% off regular price through next weekend, at our main store in Caledon Oxbridge Village (just 100L!)

Sixty Linden Weekends sale item for Oct. 8 & 9

This weekend's Sixty Linden Weekends deal is our equestrian themed outfit "Le Redingote," in emerald:

New release: "Le Redingote"

Montagne Noire presents "Le Redingote" (riding coat), a Victorian/Edwardian equestrian riding habit with breeches, two skirts, riding hat and gloves, in amethyst, emerald, onyx, ruby, sapphire and topaz.

Le Redingote features both a full length prim skirt for walking and a system skirt for riding horseback, riding in a stagecoach or wagon, or simple parlor sitting. The jacket waist ruffle is worn over either skirt as well as the breeches.

Le Redingote is modifiable, allowing you to tailor the garment to your proportions -- the breeches can be shortened or lengthened to match the height of your own riding boots (riding boots are not included).

As a new release, Le Redingote is 50% off regular price through this weekend, at our main store in Caledon Oxbridge Village (just 125L!)

A little this & that

As I'm able to sit for longer in my computer chair, I'm finally getting around to some projects that have been on the back burner for awhile.

One of the most common requests I get is "I love that outfit? Can you make it in [insert your favorite color here]."

I may eventually get around to making all my outfits in every color of the rainbow, but in the mean time, I've been rounding out sets so that they have three color options.

If you like the sapphire and ruby La Danseuse saloon girl dresses, you'll love the new one in emerald:

The popular amethyst and emerald Le Pianiste gowns are now joined by an onyx black version:

The Pluche line becomes a threesome with the addition of an onyx black gown to the ruby and sapphire sets:

Last, but not least, the La Ranchette line has had a complete overhaul, to include a new onyx set, a dark topaz, and a dark ruby, all featuring more prominent Native American embroidered trim:

What's the best part of this new round of new releases? I'm implementing a new sales policy -- all new releases will be 50% off retail for the first week of their debut!

That means the emerald Danseuse, onyx Pianiste and onyx Pluche are now 125L through next Sunday, June 6.

The new topaz and onyx Le Ranchette sets are 175L this week -- the ruby remains 50L as part of the "Pink & Red" sale currently running!

Remember, these prices are good ONLY at the Caledon Oxbridge Village main store.

I hope you enjoy these new colors!

Montagne Noire is back!

It seems my recuperation from surgery has generated a creative streak in me, as I have just finished another new gown, "Brode"!

Brode (English, "Embroidered") is a practical cotton day gown with floral embroidery, a perfect spring gown for the lady who wishes to take a leisurely stroll in a stylish and comfortable suit. It comes in garnet, jade and turquoise, and retails for 250L!

I've also put out a special 1L "dollarbie" gift in the entry foyer of the Caledon shop, "Le Merle" (French, "little blackbird"), a rich onyx black velvet and beaded lace gown and matching onyx hat, that previously retailed for 250L. Enjoy!

Also now available is "Dans le Rose" (French, "In the Pink"), a special edition breast cancer awareness gown featuring rich velveteen brocade and satin adorned with pink ribbons and flowers.

The gown is now on sale for 50L (originally 350L) at my Caledon shop! Additionally, all regular priced ladies, mens & childrens clothing in pink and red continue to be discounted to 50L for the foreseeable future (only at the Caledon location).

There are also selected pink and red furnishings reduced to 50L at my Antiquity furniture shop!

Once again, thank you for all your support as I recover from breast cancer surgery, and get ready to begin the long road of treatments. Everyone has been so wonderful during this challenging time, and it means a lot to me.

An emerald ball gown for St. Patrick's Day

The next gown in our new ball gown line has arrived, coinciding with the celebration of St. Patrick's Day next month.

The emerald "Reine du Bal" (French, "Belle of the Ball"), is a rich velveteen brocade and satin evening gown featuring a bustle and train adorned with... shamrocks.

Yes, I was a bit skeptical of the idea of putting little satin shamrocks on the bodice and bustle of a ball gown. It seems a little too -- forced. Corny, even.

Surprisingly, the results are very pleasing to the eye. Three and four leaf varieties of green clover adorn the gown's bodice, accenting the decolletage. Clover garlands frame the gown's bustle in back, gently floating over the landscape of the fabric.

The gown is available at a special sale price of L$175 -- 50 percent off the retail price -- now through St. Patrick's Day, March 17. The gown can be found at either our Caledon, Antiquity or Fatima locations.

For the ladies: new gowns on sale

Plenty of news to be had, so we'll start right off with our new releases for ladies:

Montagne Noire introduces the Cheongsam, a body-hugging one-piece Chinese dress for women in a vibrant red satin brocade.

The cheongsam is also known in Mandarin Chinese as the qípáo and in English as a Mandarin gown.

Also included are garment pieces to wear as an Vietnamese Ao Dai (Áo Dài), featuring a tight-fitting silk tunic worn over ankle length leggings.

Montagne Noire's version is designed with a Victorian eye for modesty, featuring long sleeves and ankle length leggings.

To celebrate the Chinese New Year on Feb. 14, the Cheongsam is on sale for 100L, 50% off the retail price. The sale price is effective through Feb. 14.

The next gown in our new ball gown line has arrived just in time for Mardi Gras.

To celebrate Mardi Gras on Feb. 16, Reine du Bal in amethyst is now on sale for 175L, 50% off the retail price. The sale price is effective through Feb. 16.

Lastly, there are four new gowns in our clearance section, marked down 80% off the retail price, making them just 20L and 50L!

New womenswear is located in the west wing on the ground floor of our Caledon & Antiquity shops; you'll find Clearance on the third floor.

New release: Le Menagere Victorian/Old West dress

New at MNC, Le Menagere (English, "The housekeeper") is a practical cotton day gown with apron, in emerald, sapphire or topaz plaid, for the lady of the house who wishes to conduct her daily chores in a comfortable but stylish dress -- ideal for housekeeping or market day.

Le Menagere was designed to reflect the style of dress adopted by women of the mid- to late- 19th century American West. Shedding cumbersome crinolines (the "hoop skirt") and restrictive bustles for more practical dress lines, women on the frontier had more pressing concerns than wearing the latest fashions.

And now for a little editorializing: Before the invention of sunscreen, pioneer women wore long sleeves and high necklines like those on Le Menagere to protect their skin from the harsh elements. In one of the great double standards of the Victorian era, bare arms and decolletage were only acceptable for "proper" ladies on formal occasions, such as balls -- only ladies of ill repute put their assets on public display at all hours of the day.

This is one of my little pet peeves about Victorian fashion in SL -- lowcut necklines and off the shoulder gowns are not, not, not daytime wear for proper ladies! So don't be surprised if you enter a role play sim and you are mistaken for a "painted lady" and treated coarsely. :)

Le Menagere is of course modifiable, allowing you to tailor the garment to your proportions. The dress is now available at MNC's Caledon Oxbridge Village location, or on XStreet.

Just arrived at Montagne Noire ... Fleur d'Automne

September's new gown is now available -- "Fleur d'Automne" (French, "Flower of Autumn"), a rich velveteen day gown and matching teardrop hat with satin flowers, black feathers and black lace.

Available in ruby, turquoise and topaz, Fleur d'Automne is a fashionable walking dress for the lady who wants to look her best on errands in town or visiting friends.

Fleur d'Automne comes with a prim skirt for standing and a "system" skirt and hip ribbons for sitting, designed to avoid the embarrassment of naked legs that prim skirts cause for ladies who wish to sit modestly.

Circa 1865-1875, Fleur d'Automne reflects the early transition from crinoline (the "hoop skirt"), to polonaise, to soft bustle in Victorian ladies fashion. The full round shape of the crinoline gave way to more slender dress lines, with overskirting draped over the hips and underskirting moving toward the back of the skirt.

Montagne Noire's main store is located in Caledon Oxbridge Village. You are welcome to peruse my inventory via Xstreet as well.