Garment Commissioned - Red silk evening dress, with matching fabric roses, rose buds, petals and leaves.

Requirement - The client is over 6' tall in heels and was unable to find an "off the peg" full length evening dress, long enough for her to be able to wear fashionable platform shoes for a special occasion.

Solution - The client had chosen this commercially available pattern http://voguepatterns.mccall.com/ Belville Sassoon Vogue V2890 Misses' Dress and Detachable Shrug. Red silk satin was chosen for the outer layer instead of chiffon as recommended by the original designer. The train was also shortened considerably to allow for dancing.

A simplified toile of the bodice was made from calico. The bust cup size and midriff length was increased to fit perfectly. The skirt toile of the overlay layer was made from a soft draping scrap fabric. This allowed us to assess the correct length at the front and see how long the train could be without being trodden on easily.

Result - The labour time was reduced by starting with a ready made pattern to produce a bespoke, glamorous and elegant evening gown. I had a few flowers leftover, so I attached them to a hair slide (shown below).

Testimonial – "..a very appreciative thank you for making my gorgeous dresses, I absolutely love them..." LW May 2009