In February I was shortlisted for a design award (yay me!) with the ceremony in April.
I decided to design my own dress because it’s not everyday you get nominated for an award. It was fine time to invest in myself. Usually everyone else gets to wear my designs except for me – no fair! On top of that, I’m lucky to have a talented and generous friend in HK who could actually build one of my wacky inventions so I figured I’d better do it now while she’s still here (in HK you never know, people are coming and going all the time).
So that was it, the plan was set… Hong Kong Dance Awards 2014 here I come!
I had this design lying around in my file. In a pile of sketches I had actually created with someone else in mind. There I have countless variations of deconstructed saris and this is one of them. I loved the design the minute I conceived it and I kept being drawn to it – thinking it would look killer on me. I took the plunge, asked my friend if she would build it for me and promptly had a lunch meeting to discuss my brainchild. I went shopping in Sham Shui Po for silk (which I promptly instagrammed!) as she whipped up a mock up. The mock up is made of inexpensive fabric and is formed, or draped, on a mannequin in order to create the pattern. 
The first version was very rough, my friend had been extremely busy with work, but even though it looked a bit like a bunch of bed sheets it was an extremely useful communication tool for us both. We had another fitting, this time with the blue fabric already incorporated. We talked about more specifics, adjusting style lines, etc., and next thing I knew – it was the day of the event! Woo hoo! There are a few things we’re going to adjust after the fact but it’s not bad for running straight from the sewing machine right onto my body!
Couture dress design, styling, hair, and make-up all by me.
This is me with my date, & hanging out with my posse after the show, and then me running away after the ball. I didn’t loose my shoe, but the woman to my left may very well be my fairy godmother. Thanks for the genius wardrobe magic Sarah!
As an aside, my good friend (and part of my terrific posse/photographer on the eve) Nathalie sent me the full sized photos today plus this comparative image below with the message:
You could be twins…
LOL! Thanks Nat! Bridget Steis and her doppelgänger Kate Beckinsale.
© All designs & images are original work and the sole property of Bridget Steis.
