The Lucy Westenra nightgown

The inspiration comes from both history of fashion and cinema costumes, though it’s not a replica of a specific design. The concept came as I was trying to find out what to do with silk chiffon leftovers from several orders from the last years. I make a costume from Star Wars that requires less than one lot of fabric, and buying the lot is slightly cheaper. So I stored all those one to two meters leftovers away. Some of them were silk white, others ivory, some of them were perfectly pearly and smooth, others matte and more crepe-like. I wanted something that could use their differences as a positive addition to the design.
I am also trying to guide myself through the study of lighter things. I was inspired by Alexander McQueen, who said that working at Givenchy’s gave him the lightness. Reading that I found my work to be somewhat heavy, strong, shaping, thick. So exercising with something light and sheer was a challenge that could help me grow.

I wanted something that could make both the ghost and the vampire bride. Some inspiration came from the 1890s aesthetic movement gows, some from Klimt’s work, for the initial idea of the swirls, and some from the 1890s Medici collars. late 1890s are my favourite historical period, almost everything I make has something to do with them. Edwardian dressing gowns and Worth’s use of light materials to contrast the most defined shapes had a role too, as well as paintings of the Aestheticism. I was also inspired by Crimson Peak, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Titania’s cape by Gabriella Pescucci, from Midsummer Night’s Dream. I basically wanted to design something that could have its place in a vampire movie set in 1890s, but focusing con the otherworldly aspect of the character.

I wanted something that could make both the ghost and the vampire bride. Some inspiration came from the 1890s aesthetic movement gows, some from Klimt’s work, for the initial idea of the swirls, and some from the 1890s Medici collars. late 1890s are my favourite historical period, almost everything I make has something to do with them. Edwardian dressing gowns and Worth’s use of light materials to contrast the most defined shapes had a role too, as well as paintings of the Aestheticism. I was also inspired by Crimson Peak, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Titania’s cape by Gabriella Pescucci, from Midsummer Night’s Dream. I basically wanted to design something that could have its place in a vampire movie set in 1890s, but focusing con the otherworldly aspect of the character.

I made the collar from silk organza and synthetic whalebone boning. I wanted to keep it sheer. At first I wanted it to mimic the smocked portions of 1890s teagowns and aesthetic dresses, so I started pulling threads of the organza I wanted to apply on the top. I wanted the vertical texture, but I wanted it to be as flat as possible. I played with the different warp threads, pulling some, taking off some others, creating the three-dimensional shape of the collar on the cover, just by pulling the threads. To recreate the patterns of the smocking, I embroidered some swirls with gold thread. Then I added the braided hair, couched with silver and golden threads, and beads to add detail and light.
I worked some more organza on the inside of the collar, twisting and pleating it to create a three-dimensional effect like in Titania’s cape. I then played with steam and the pressing iron to flatten some parts and to shape some others. Hairspray had its role to play too. I know starch is more suitable, but I wanted it extra transparent.

Except the collar structure, everything is hand sewn. I finished the cuffs with some damaged antique tulle lace and golden cords.
Then I dyed and weathered the nightgown: I wanted it to recall Crimson Peak and blood, but not in such an obvious way. So I kept the red very light, just a suggestion, something faded and old. I added some pink, some oranges, some yellows here and there to get a rich color, something with depth, that enhanced all the work done on the rest and that made the details pop out: it’s all sheer white fabric, so the camera can use some help to catch the tiny details, white is good, but different types of almost-white are better. I then brushed with a cobbler’s metal brush both the collar and the hem and used some sandpaper to age them. The last layer was with paint, dye, shellac and polishes to add even more texture, to create more transparent and shiny elements and to allow every piece of the gown to have something the eye could focus on.

I then finished with some tassels at the front and some ceramic beads. They serve as weight to keep the collar down, but they also connect to a system of tapes that keeps the collar at the back and at the front anchored to the waist.

This garment took its time to come to the world. I worked on it when inspired only, and in the little free time left from work. The construction is quite simple, which allowed me to focus on the funny parts of the job.
I think the garment gave its very best with shaved head and brows…but I completed it much later. And I don’t think I’ll be brave enough to shave my head again this soon.

Let me know your thoughts about this gown in a comment!