The Commission
Patrice presented a very detailed explanation of the style of wedding dress that she wanted to wear on her wedding day and so once the presented sketches were approved, it was my job to bring this vintage lace wedding dress with sleeves to life.
Being very clear about wanting her dress to sparkle both indoors and out was quite a statement as then we were very clear that the details needed to be opulent and bold. We met a quite a few times with different patterns of laces until the bride found one that she felt had the sparkle and appeal to mirror the ideas that she had in mind.
The Challenge
Getting to know the bride is really important to fully understanding her vision so that we can deliver a service that is personal and outstanding; but, this little lady, was sooooooo laid back (apart from her dress choice) that even we were totally surprised – you know that hidden crouching tiger move by Bruce Lee – If you do, you’ll know exactly what I mean!!! It’s not often this happens but, Patrice was also the bride who helped me shed my prudish tendencies when she insisted the front of the gown be cut so deep I suffered sleepless night wondering how on earth it was going to stay up. But, she was right, it was amazing! And to see her photos and videos flooding the web was equal to taking part in the Olympics during 2012.
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Extraordinary Detailed Long Sleeve Wedding Dress
Heavily encrusted with pearls, this dress was quite a challenge to make. The detailed cut and fit of the gown was achieved by first crafting a bespoke corset to create the shape and fit that the bride requested. It took me around three attempts to get it perfect fitted because of the cut out panels on the body that had to be sheer; it was quite challenging to re-route the boning channels to maintain the shape so that the dress would not collapse under the bust when worn.
This was without doubt an ‘Oscar Gown’ with between 15 -18 thousand crystals, pearls & seed beads from neck to the hem of the super long train.
Towards the end, once the sleeves were in place, the beads were applied whilst the dress was on the stand; meaning that we were working standing up for most of the day for about a week. We were so exhausted by the weight of the beads that it took two of us to carry it across the workroom. I mean, to carry it 5 paces was equal to 5 press-ups or kettle lifts – so now you know why we have such toned uppers for such a genteel industry. But, having said that, the weight is not an issue when a dress fits-to-perfection as the body fills the available space so securely that the weight is un-noticeable to the bride. To use an Instagram phrase #Slayinit is the #perfectfit
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Testimonial
What can I say! I just cannot thank you enough, the day was a huge success… The corset was so comfortable and everyone loved my dress.
You are a real genius.
Thank you