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dressu.co.uk
DRAWINGS Bethany
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Bethany came to me six months before her wedding and I soon understood the style of dress she wanted. I showed her all the various silk weaves and she best liked the shine on the duchesse satin which is neither a crisp weave nor a fluid, somewhere in between. By that time she had decided upon the ivory, the natural colour for silk yarn. The silk is mounted upon Egyptian cotton organdie to enhance the drape and this cloth also makes a crisp lightweight petticoat for the fishtail. The lining is silk paper tafetta to rustle on walking. With a long trail, the back panels must be cut at bias and the figure-hugging skirt implies the side and front are also cut at bias. A slot in the centre back seam enables the trail to be tied up for dancing. I also use Egyptian cotton organdie for the corsetry, which is strong and ultra-light allowing the skin breath to prevent sweating. Bethany's sweetheart deep plunge implied corset and dress combine along and above the Empire line. Stainless steel struts, which don't rust, cantilever breast weight from hip level so that I could still achieve the backless deep vee. Anchored under the bust a gentle drape of ruched ivory silk organza covers the shoulder. I scattered some Swarovski crystals over the bodice. Using Sylko 50 sewing thread, the whole dress is from natural sources, animal and vegetable, which means the dress can be dyed afterwards. I cut Bethany's very long ivory silk organza veil early so that she could decorate it herself with more Swarovski crystals. I cut it on grain and suspended it from a hair comb. Philip Sefton |
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