FOUNDATIONS REVEALED COMPETITION ENTRY
The beautiful tale of the Crane Girl
(click images to to enlarge)
Other Credits
ph. Sofia Ogliari
Outline the story …
Entry inspired by The Crane Girl, by Curtis Manley. At the end of 2019 I went into a fabric shop. While buried in a mountain of fabrics remnants a light blue one called my name: it was a beautiful cotton printed fabric with white cranes on it that reminded me of Hokusai blue paintings. I gazed at my friend and I said "this screams Tea Gown!". But I didn't buy it.
Months later I went back to that shop and I saw a lady in the act of buying it. The saleswoman said it was the last piece and I was desperate.
But then I looked around and I saw a glimpse of light blue: THAT was the last piece, and it was waiting for me.
There's a book, The Crane Girl by Curtis Manley, inspired by a Japanese folk story about a boy who saves a trapped crane. Then the next night a girl knocks to his door asking for hospitality. It is the disguised crane that helps him weave beautiful fabrics until he discovers her secret, so she has to fly away, but he decides to follow her and turns himself into a crane.
Thus my idea was to interpret this girl in a Victorian Tea gown.
I've always had a special connection with cranes: I studied bird migration in university and I hadn’t been able to see them in nature for a long time.
Then one day I caught them in flight: I can still hear their calls in my mind. It's the most beautiful sound on earth.
Outline the construction…
My main pattern inspiration was a 1880s Tea gown I saw on Pinterest. I drafted the pattern myself using a basic bodice and a Victorian skirt I already had.
Prior Attire's book was really helpful for the sleeves and the detachable balayeuse construction (I realized I was sweeping my house with the train, so I decided I absolutely needed one).
I used the flat lining technique to put the fabrics together and I lined the sleeves with deep red satin. I also padded the shoulders to add more shape.
On the edges I used 3 different burgundy trimmings (Japanese cranes have a red spot on their heads and I wanted to include red into my project).
I think, together with the bottom hem facing, hand sewing the trimmings was the longest thing I've ever sewn by hand.
I added some pleating to the bottom hem (reminding me of feathers) using a contrast fabric.
The chemise is made with light embroidered cotton, with pleated inserts on the sides and back, and vintage cotton lace trims.
I was lucky to find a matching brown fabric.
On the sleeves I tried my hand with some smocking.
I also made a Swiss waist belt drafting the pattern myself using original sources as reference, with fake whalebones for structure.
The headpiece is made with fabric Chrysanthemum flowers (symbol of Japan), trimmings and beadings put onto a headband.
The lack of self confidence (along with huge impostor syndrome) was definitely my main challenge.
Love it! I have one of the photos you posted earlier as inspiration to make a tea gown myself! Great job!
Oooh, that’s so lovely 💚 thank you so much
The cranes and the blue of the fabric are fantastic! I love traditional Japanese stories. Good choise 💖.
This is a home run. I love this so much. Creative, melds different cultural references, and just pleases the eye. Well done!
Yay, thank you! I’m so happy to see people appreciating this. And I was so scared about the cultural reference, you know, that slight line between appreciation and appropriation… 💚
Oh my goodness! This is so beautiful. The story of the cranes made me cry. Your emotion and love of cranes shows through. I love the blue fabric and all your care for details is so powerfully delicate!
Can you imagine the day the competition entries went online I had a stock of 30 cranes flying over my house during their spring migration? 😍
There you are! I found you! Ah, your project is so pretty. I love the soft blue with the touch of red (it was a treat getting to read about how it found its way to you!) Your project reminds me a bit of Renoir’s lovely ladies in their kimonos– that late victorian orientalisme. And that crane pattern! Good luck from icarus!
Yay! I’m so happy you like it! Thank you 🌷
This is just so pretty that I have no words for it! I love everything on your gown. The colors are gorgeous and I adore all the details like the trimming, the smocking and the pleats at the hem. I can see how many work you’ve put into this and it came out great!
I’m so glad you like it. I use to feel a bit unsatisfied of what I sew, but this time I’m in love with it too 💚
The gown is lovely and beautiful. The fabric choice is really nice and with the red it just looks amazing.
Oh thanks 🌸
This is so beautiful! I also adore the story behind the fabric choice and how personal it is to you! I actually did my degree in Japanese language and culture, and did a lot of research specifically about animal transformations in Japanese folktales for my dissertation, so I have a soft spot for your creation which honours those folk stories! Really well done, and gorgeous pleats too!
I have been looking for this entry cause I couldn’t wait to see and read more. That fabric was meant for you! The story about the crane, the colours and the construction all go so well together. Thank you for sharing this with us!