09/30/2026
I’ve been working on a really fun project over the past year and have documented it in a few photos. I won’t share Charlie’s wedding pics yet as I don’t have them but I’m excited to show the design from start to finish.
Charlie, who has always worked in fashion, wanted me to make a one of a kind unique wedding dress created using her Mum’s vintage duppioni silk wedding gown.
Her inspo pics were a corset bodice and pencil skirt, which was fitting for her intimate nuptials in France. Before I agreed to get started she brought me the dress so I could determine the integrity and volume of the fabric. Once I saw it I knew it was still strong and beautiful (minus the million discoloured yellow sequins covering every inch of lace- hours and hours of unpicking ugh)
After that was sorted and I met Charlie I happily agreed to create her dream two piece gown. We had it professionally cleaned, and I went to work on removing all of the yellowed sequins and drafting corset and skirt patterns.
After measuring, pattern drafting , fittings, then adjustments at more fittings, hours of sewing and hand stitching, we did it. I brought Charlie’s design to life. I say ‘we’ because she designed it with me as we went along… I’d suggest things like keeping the original scalloped design in the skirt or she would suggest lace placement and I think we nailed this gown together.
And my favourite part… As many of you know I’ve spent the past two winters learning corsetry from master corsetieres in the UK. I learned that in the 17th and 18th centuries, men (sweethearts) often hid romantic poems, embroidered notes, initials, or secret messages directly inside the lining or busks of stays and corsets, keeping the sentiment close to the heart. Because of this, I asked Charlie’s fiancé to come by my studio to write her a note and I put it inside the corset for her to wear close to her heart on her wedding day 🖤
I’ll post actual wedding photos when she sends them but for now… start to finish. From vintage gown to corset and classic pencil skirt.
