Sometimes something special happens during the creative process. This dress has that “Je Ne Sais Quoi”. I began with a beautiful piece of reclaimed cotton sheeting which begged to be cut into an A-line tank dress. I then patched on a number of pieces leftover from my previous dress creation.

Multiple washings, crinkling and fraying later and the result is, in my opinion, stunning. The colours are pale, soft taupes and warm whites with hints of warm greys. Floral and postcard motifs alongside beautiful Parisian themed scroll writings, this dress is feminine but funky and super versatile. It makes me think of long walks through European cities in the sunshine eating ice cream on lazy summer days. As with all of my creations, the materials are recycled, sanitised and strength tested. The sides of the dress are double flat stitched for durability and a smooth line. The straps are reinforced with patches of contrast material as they will fray more with washing and wearing. The inside seaming is raw and will fray alongside the outside raw edging around the patches and hemline.

This dress will weather and fray with age as this is part of the deconstructive and recycled ethos that I promote in my art and fashion. The tea stained colours will fade to give the dress an aged, vintage utilitarian look which I just love. There is a lovely drape to this lightweight dress due to the fabrics and whoever owns it will find it comfortable and beautiful. This dress has deep armholes and could be worn layered as the weather gets colder.