[Challenge 5: Illustrative Essay]

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Theme: Lucretia Borgia

When a person is in love, everything seems soft and whimsical, like a well-draped dress. However, love can also be tainted and ruined by betrayal. My main muse therefore was Lucretia Borgia, the infamous 'black widow' serial killer of the 1600's, and the dark side of love that she embodied.

Dress One - "37mm": I wanted to be very deliberate with my color palette - austere, strong, and dark with only a splash of color. The two dresses are mirrors of each other, in shades of gun-metal grey and blood red.

This first one is a simple draped strapless party dress, held up around the bust by an elastic lining. Instead of dealing with micro-pleating the entire dress, the cotton jersey is pin-striped, which gives a similar effect without the tediousness. Six transparent chiffon veils are sewn to the inner layer of the gray silk and draped down the bodice, held to the body by by three thin black belts with silver buckles. On each side, the two chiffon pieces wrap around the hip and tuck in and over the bottom belt, creating a variation on the classic bow tied in the back of dresses. To make it less formal, the dress is paired with ultramarine blue pumps.

Dress Two - "Affliction": Following the "black widow" serial killer theme, this dress - the more formal of the two - is reminiscent of a spider, with its legs wrapping across the waist. There are two different styles of draping in this one: first, the heavy red, yarn-dyed taffeta is folded into wide pleats, loosely draped off the front and down the hip. Then, eight silver silk ribbons, cinched at the bust by a silver buckle, are draped across the bodice and braided down the back. For both looks, the main interest is in the back view, since betrayal always stabs a person in the back. At least, that was my interpretation! The outfit is finished by black stilettos.





Please comment and let me know how I can improve in my designs. Thanks : )