A promotional three-piece gown, created and worn specifically to present the award for best costume design at the 2nd Annual Filmed in Utah Awards Show, 2013.
With little more than a week to build, its value (with the pannier) is about 5k. The least costly parts of this dress are its fabrics, mostly imported synthetics. My pals helped me fit, hem and hand-finish so we could get this done in time.
Asked to present that year’s award for best costumes in front of hundreds of people, I couldn’t simply head to Macy’s or Nordstrom to look for any old dress.
With Marlys Miller-Fladeland and her daughter.
On display for a time in our shop’s front parlour. Pierpont Avenue location.
Inspiration.
Pages from the Chronicles of Western Fashion. John Peacock , Harry N. Abrams, Inc., New York, 1991.
Costumes 1775-1780. pp 136-137
In our shop we refer to John Peacock’s book as “the bible”. It’s one of our most used texts. We often hand it to clients, asking them to describe the silhouette and details of costumes they want by picking elements out of the lineup. It’s a great book. Its illustrations detail changes in silhouette and ornamentation in a decade-by-decade progression.
Dear friend and dressing helper, backstage, Brent.
With actor Danny James.
Being accosted by actor James Christian Morris.
With the radiant, brilliant Jennifer Sommers.
With voiceover talent Brenda Myers.
With artist Timm Paxton.
Backstage at the Grand Theater, with hair and makeup genius Amber Pearson.
Final fitting in the shop.
Brittany Babb and Melissa Welinsky mark my front hem while I hold the yardstick.
Temporary white lacing in the final fitting.
Ready to mark the hem, standing on the cutting table.
Sleeves developed. Shown here on a dress dummy along with a vest I was making for another client, over a wonderful necktie kilt made by Melissa Welinsky. An interesting outfit.
Jennifer Sommers, adjusting the straps inside the pannier, pulling them in tighter to create a wider, flatter pannier profile.
Bodice fitting. Many thanks to Jean Hunnisett, author of Period Costume for Stage and Screen, for wonderful recipes, construction details, research and period patterns in your books- a treasured part of my library.
In the beginning: Merely a big collage of fabrics that look swell together.
