After designing and sewing my first 1960s inspired dress, I have continued experimenting with the era.

This dress which I designed, made the pattern for and sewn by hand, is worn with my fetiche Brazilian necklace brought back from Salvadore de Bahia, and a Mischa clutch made by my friend Michelle Lai.

Inspired by a friend’s dress, I designed a very simple cut: close fitting, with three quarter lengths sleeves, a slight boat neck, V-shaped back and two sets of darts at the front and back.

Previously having worked only on cotton, I decided it was time to tackle silk (including the financial risk of making mistakes with expensive fabric!)

I chose this beautiful deep purple Thai silk which elegantly echoes Yves Saint Laurent’s color palette.

Working with silk is highly complex and requires a lot of patience. Before sewing, I applied interfacing to the silk to prevent it from stretching or deforming. This alone took two hours.

Having worked roughly 25 hours on the dress, I was eager to wear it for an event so finished the hem in a hurry (which shows). I will need to do it again!

Needless to say, the experience gave me a deeper appreciation for the work and details that goes into Haute Couture.