FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
Gerda in Lapland
(click images to to enlarge)
Outline the story …
"There stood poor Gerda, without shoes, without gloves, in the midst of cold, dreary, ice-bound Finland."
Hans Christian Andersen - The Snow Queen, Seventh Story - 1845
She was going to the Snow Queen's castle to save her friend Kay, who got a piece of the mirror made by the devil stuck in his eye and in his heart, making him see only the bad things, and freezing his heart. The Ice Queen had kidnapped him to have someone by her side, and he was satisfied with this life because he had forgotten happiness, and because he couldn't feel joy anymore. When he saw Gerda, he started crying and the piece of mirror in his eyes was wiped away, and when she kissed his cheeks, his hands, and his feet, he became warm again and his heart thawed back to normal. They finally could go home.
***
Tales are set in no known place and time, and though we can feel some proximity because sometimes we grew up with the characters, or we feel like we have already visited these fantasy places by dint of hearing the story again and again and again.
Hence, I decided to get my inspirations from the past, but to hijack historical accuracy to turn it into something familiar but yet impossible to set in any place nor time, something more whimsical.
So we can find :
* a shortened crinoline
* a 17th century inspired bodice
* 1910s like sleeves
Outline the construction…
The two main challenges of this project were :
- THE BODICE FITTING
I first did a bodice with historical references with the books Patterns of Fashion (Janet Arnold), then Creating Historical clothes (Elizabeth Friendship). I finally decided I wanted something less historically accurate, especially with the armholes that are extremely wide at the back. So I decided to use a modern drafting book (DP Studio) that I combined with all the previous attempts to get a similar shape.
I had to make around 10 fittings because I wanted the bodice to be perfectly adjusted, and as I worked on myself I had to grope until the final result.
- THE EMBROIDERY
I decided to draft my own snowflakes to be sure to not use any copyrighted design. So I've learned how to you the pen tool on Photoshop, and that helped me to create perfect symmetry.
As it was my first embroidery and it was on *velvet* I decided to focus on one main snowflake instead of the several ones I had planned to make all around the neckline, because it already took me one week to make this one. I wanted it to be perfect so I had to learn to « let it go » ( ;) )
The velvet made it impossible to put it in an embroidery circle, and to transfer the design directly on the fabric, so after multiple attempts, I decided to draw on a very lightweight piece of fabric that I fused inside.
I really like the skirt shape! This looks like it’s from a fairy-tale, but in a stylish and cool way. Well done!
This is lovely! The skirt shape is so cute and interesting but I could also see it being wearable for a special occasion
I love the shape! And it looks so good on you♡
This has been one of my favorite tales for a while so this costume is already close to my heart. This costume is beautiful. It is simple but still interesting, much like winter itself. I love the red and white together and the embroidery is wonderful.
I love this tale, and you translated it marvelously ! The twinkling of the star is the perfect touch of icy winter !
Cette robe est vraiment très belle, à la fois sobre et raffinée. Je l’aime beaucoup! Et puis cette étoile de strass est une petite merveille! Encore Bravo Morgane!
I love this story and I really like your interpretation of it. great fabric choice and it fits you so well 🙂
I really love the story and your dress fits Gerda wonderfully (and you too). I really like the red and the length of the skirt. And the embroidery is just gorgeous.
You really captured that whimsical, fairytale feel in this dress! Beautiful work, well done for all the effort you put into fitting the bodice and the embroidery, it really paid off!
Omg you really went barefoot in the snow :O I hope it wasn’t too cold! Very beautiful dress, the bodice looks fantastic!