statuesque

I love maximalism - various fabrics and multiple patterns combined into one garment, rich embellishments, and sumptuous textures. A tactile and visual explosion. It’s something that I’m trying to implement more and more, a constant expansion of my vision.
But sometimes, it is a good idea to pare everything down. To peel back the layers, strip the core bare. To create a single focal point with no distraction: A simple dress, with a lean silhouette in a uni-coloured fabric (velvet, but still). Something that makes an impact with its simplicity.
The original reason why I went down that particular route was my sister’s prom - she wanted me to make a dress for her. And of course, I obliged.

My sister wanted something that was loose, yet structured, that accentuated her body but did not restrict her in any way. It was quite a challenge to get the desired look - the dress should not be tight at the waist, but still have some shape and not just hang loose underneath the bust. With such a simple look, it is crucial to get the fit right. The garment needs to be balanced and hang correctly, there is no hiding behind a busy print or some cleverly placed embroidery.
The fabric, a plush cotton velvet, allowed little to no mistakes either (velvet is a nightmare to press and this one didn’t particularly enjoy opened seams either), but it behaved surprisingly well, once we got to know each other. Basting and a walking foot definitely helped to tame it!

I chose to go with a classic princess-seamed bodice, to avoid the bulk that darts often bring, and added a wide, shaped waistband to bridge the gap between the bodice and the skirt portion - and to be able to cut the bodice close to the body, while giving the skirt more room. Getting the necklines/armholes just right was something that I needed to fit directly on her body, but I think we found the sweet spot between enough cover and a smooth curve. There is still a little excess fabric around the back of the neck, which is mainly due to the heaviness of the velvet, but it is something I (and she) can live with.

It was really nice to take a simpler, cleaner approach and to really focus on the cut of a garment. I tend to improvise a lot and make up the process as I go along, but this dress had to be thoroughly planned and precisely executed. I do think I achieved the look my sister wanted and I am quite pleased with the finished garment myself.

Thanks to the wonderful Helena Zaida - Who looks like an absolute goddess in this dress and had the original idea for something ‘simple, in red velvet’; and Lukas Jahn (@rawkoon.pictures) for capturing her with these amazing photographs. The results from such an impromptu shoot never looked better.

All images © Lukas Jahn