My First Gown Design

In third year at Seneca College, we were finally assigned to make an evening gown.  This was probably one of the most exciting projects because when you're designing a fancy gown you can let your imagination run wild.

I wanted my gown to have an underdress made of a solid fabric with a print and then I wanted to drape a sheer fabric overtop so that the printed pattern from the underdress fabric would show through.  So I designed form-fitting strapless top with a fit and flare skirt for the underdress and I draped a cowl top in the front with an even deeper cowl at the back.  I added tons of fullness into the overskirt.  I wanted to challenge myself both with the pattern drafting of this dress and with the sewing.

After the project was finished and marked at school, I designed and ordered a little glass inukshuk that I was calling the "Inukshuk of Style" and I had it engraved with my friend Hannah's name.  I presented it to her for being one of the most stylish people I know.  Then, I invited Hannah to wear my gown on a photo shoot in order for her to get some photographs with the coveted "Inukshuk of Style" award.

The day of the photo shoot was damp and foggy and as a result our photos turned out to be dark and mysterious and the setting really added to the drama of the gown.  It really seemed as if we were in Middle Earth or Narnia that day.