Monthly Archives: June 2014

A fresh, feminine party dress in white and French blue.  The dropped waist bodice has a ruched bust embroidered with pearls and beads.  A French blue silk bow belt defines the waist.  The skirt is made full with four layers of pale blue tulle, overlaid with French blue tulle embroidered with blue and white.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie and other dolls of similar size.

Now on Etsy!

I am on vacation until Monday, June 30.  The fashion will ship on Tuesday, July 1.

Barbie is ready for a day of sailing in Puget Sound in this stylish silk plaid sheath dress in shades of blue and aqua.  The waist is accented with a marine blue sash and bow.  An enamel daisy brooch in blue (removable) accents the shoulder.  Ahoy!

This fashion fits Fashion Royalty, Silkstone Barbie, and Victoire Roux.

Now on Etsy!

I am on vacation until Monday, June 30.  The dress will ship on Tuesday, July 1.

A refreshing sheath for a summer luncheon in lime green and yellow silk damask.  Abstract yellow daisies are scattered over a shimmering green ground.  Tiny yellow beads decorate the flower centers of the bodice and the shoulders.  A lime green dupioni silk band marks the waist.

This fashion fits Fashion Royalty, Silkstone Barbie and Victoire Roux.

Now on Etsy!

A full skirted party dress in the palest shell pink silk.  This silk is almost sheer and has a crisp hand, similar to organza.  The dropped waist bodice flows into a crisp skirt made full with four layers of pale pink tulle.  A band defines the bust, which is sprinkled with tiny sequins in shades of pink, rose, gold, and peach.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Fashion Royalty, and Victoire Roux.

Now on Etsy!

A party dress in a delicious aqua silk woven with silver.  This silk has a beautiful crisp texture and rustle.  The strapless bodice has a dropped waist that flows into a full skirt.  A band and bow beneath the bust is the perfect accent.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Fashion Royalty and Victoire Roux.

Now on Etsy!

A perfect dress for summer, this cute bubble dress is made of black and white gingham silk embroidered with cherries.  Bright red silk bows decorate the shoulders.

This fashion fits Silkstone Barbie, Victoire Roux, Fashion Royalty and Vintage Barbie.

Now on Etsy!

Hello my friends!  A reminder that the silent auction for this one of a kind Dior gown is ending in 8 hours.  If you are interested in owning this unique gown, please email me with a bid before 7 pm Pacific time (10 pm Eastern time).

hildaewestervelt@gmail.com

I took a few additional photos yesterday, this time using Victoire Roux as the model.

Since Sunday, I have been consumed with a single project; to re-create the iconic gown Miss Dior in 1/6 scale (see my previous post for details of the process).  My days have revolved around sewing hundreds and hundreds of tiny petals and flowers onto panels of white silk.  Then I went back and sewed pearls and tiny beads onto the petals.  The resulting gown is a meadow of spring flowers.  While I do not pretend that this is an exact copy, it is my homage to the original.

The gown is completely handmade, in the true couture tradition.  It is made of white silk, flowers and pearls.  There is not a drop of glue.  The gown will fit several types of dolls, such as Silkstone Barbie, Victoire Roux, and the new Fashion Royalty dolls.  It closes in the back with metal snaps.  It is completely lined in white silk.

Included with the gown are the pink gloves.  The model is a Red Moon Silkstone doll, repainted and restyled by Maryann Roy.  The doll is not included in this auction.

I cannot put a price on this gown and how much it meant to me to create it, so I am offering it to you in a Silent Auction format.  Beginning now, I will accept your bids via email at hildaewestervelt@gmail.com

Bids will be accepted until 7 pm Pacific time (10 pm east coast time) on Sunday, June 15.  If you choose to bid, you will be notified via email whether or not you have won the gown.

Thank you so much for all of the interest and encouragement that I have received during the course of this exciting project.  Enjoy!

Those of us who love vintage fashion have been ogling the videos and photographs that have been circulating on the internet in preparation for the Le Petit Théâtre Dior exhibition, now in Chengdu, China.

This miniature version of the gown Miss Dior, which was made in 1949, immediately caught my eye and I fell in love.  I just had to try it for myself.  This is a brief look into my project.

I began the process on Monday, assembling my materials and planning my strategy.

And drafting a pattern…

Every journey begins with a single step…or flower petal.

I made two skirt panels, stitching on the petals by hand and sewing on pearls and beads.  After a trial assembling, I decided it needed another panel, so I did one more, in two pieces for the back.

The next step was cutting out the pieces and sewing them together.  The seams then had to be covered with petals.

Now came the moment of truth…would these skirt panels come together with a bodice to form a dress.  The answer is YES!

Here is the dress attached to its bodice.  It does not yet have the lining for the bodice and skirt, and there are still beads and flowers that need to be sewn on, but a dress is beginning to take shape.

Tomorrow, I will put the finishing touches on the dress and on Friday I will offer it for sale via silent auction.  I hope that you have enjoyed my creative journey!