Hide Time: Leather Snake Print Dress, Alexander McQueen Spring 2008
October 14th, 2011 § 1 Comment
Unfortunately, this is going to be one of my shortest blog posts to date as I am leaving for Los Angeles in about 20 minutes…
At long last (My mom will be so happy!) I have finished my leather version of the snake print dress from the Spring 2008 Alexander McQueen runway, a collection in memory of the wonderful Isabella Blow.
After purchasing the leather back in February, I have let my worry get the better of me for the better part of a year. Finally, I got over it, as I wanted to wear this dress to the wedding I am headed out to this weekend. Deadlines. I like deadlines.
With the super low back, undergarments are a tad hard to wear. So Trina helped me in developing a lining that does all of the supporting and lifting necessary. Heavily boned, tight and rigid, I have found that plain ol’ cotton IS actually good for something. Of course, it was only after I finished sewing it did I realize that instead of wanting a white lining, I wanted a pink one. Due to my Fabric Science class, the dyeing process went swimmingly this time. Then I broke the Zipper.
I decided to head into the sewing lab on Monday morning to take advantage of the big tables and self healing cutting mattes. Not that I can’t do this stuff at home, I just decided that a bigger table, bigger weights, and more room would lead to fewer frustrations. I barely, BARELY, had enough in my three hides to get all of the pattern pieces up with the snake print embossing all matching on the pieces and going the same direction.
Sewing was so … simple! Just don’t make any mistakes, right?
Taking my knitting practice in mind, one mistake became a “design element” and one would be hard pressed to find it. Oh, so many sewing puns in this post … so many I could make … no time … must refrain.
I made the shoulder pads last night on one of my dress-forms while watching Project:Runway, and finally finished this goodie up, and just in the nick of time. Finished sewing in the lining and the cap sleeves this morning. In total panic/get-ready-to-go mode, I took 2 (literally, just the two you see) pictures of both the front and the back, as I really, really wanted to share this before leaving for Hollywood, Hollywood (ref. homeless dude in Pretty Woman, I know you know the one). Also exciting to put my Spring 2008 Alexander McQueen Brass Square Toe pumps to good use, too 
Such a great, great project. More to come, I promise.
Wow! Your worry was unnecessary as this dress is remarkable. Not only did you work out all the kinks and rough spots so beautifully, the dress fits you like a glove. And, yes, those McQueen pumps are the perfect accessory. I’m sure you will be a highlight of the wedding. Oh, and I also love how you described a mistake becoming a “design element.” So true!!