“La Belle Dame Sans Merci”
Ever since seeing the painting “La Belle Sans Merci” in the Bristol Museum and Art Gallery it has become my favourite painting. So when a fantasy photographer approached me to make some dresses for a winter Fairy photoshoot I was inspired buy the painting and designed a gown reminiscent of the dress the woman “La Belle Dame Sans Merci” is wearing whilst sitting atop her mighty steed.
Colour Pallet.
After seeing pictures of the model I decided an Autumn colour pallet would compliment her best and set about sourcing the perfect Autumnal fabrics and trim.
The Details.
No effort was speared in finding the perfect trims. A mixture of beautifully patterned silk, golden ribbon, rhinestone chain and faux pearls was chosen and then carefully handsewn on to the dress.
The completed gown.
With all the layers of carefully chosen fabric cut in to the desired pattern pieces and assembled, its trim attached and the final details attended to, the dress was finished, all that was left was its wings.
The wings.
The wings were made of a pail pink chiffon stretched over wire carefully moulded in to the perfect wing shapes. The chiffon was then artfully painted with a combination of browns, yellows, greens and a shimmering glitter. once all the wings were assembled and attached to two elastic straps all that was left was to add the beautiful Autumn coloured flowers.
The Photoshoot.
The dress and its wings were made as well as a another gown for a second model when the photoshoot unfortunately fell through.
How ever a great deal of work was poot in to the dresses and it seems a shame to just give up. So as soon as I can find a model that can fit the gowns I will be taking them on my own photoshoot and will post the finished result of those photos here.