Process: Summer Project #1 Hemming and Finishing Touches

To maintain the idea and illusion of fabric mid-wash, I draped the bust and rear as if the fabric were literally wet. While draping, I pulled up photos of "wet dresses" made by the Greek house Di Petsa. Dimitra Petsa, the founder of the label, studied at Central Saint Martins in London where she developed her own technique of manipulating fabric to appear as if it is wet and clinging to the skin. My draping skills certainly aren't up to par to those of Petsa, but I eventually found a drape I was happy with.

From there, I hand-stitched the folds of the drape together, using clear beads to hide stitches and mimic the effect of water droplets. I was then able to attach the bust and rear drapings to the main bodice. Utilizing the remaining taffeta, I draped a quick skirt onto the mannequin, pinned it, and sewed it together on the sewing machine.

All that was left afterwards was hemming! I continued to hand-sew using clear beads, moving across the circumference of the collarbone, ribcage, neck, and shoulders. As a finishing touch, I glued clear, plastic hemispheres onto the dress to mimic bubbles, once more referencing my goal of depicting a dress mid-wash.