The Commission Brief
This dress was commissioned for a garden party event with a specific brief: a formal dress incorporating genuine botanical elements — the client wanted actual pressed flowers incorporated into the garment. The construction challenge is that pressed botanicals are fragile, incompatible with standard dry cleaning, and require specific finishing techniques to survive wear.
Botanical Integration
The pressed flowers are set between layers of organza using a heat-seal technique that preserves the botanicals while creating a translucent window effect in the fabric. The base dress is a structured gown in a complementary sage green, over which the botanical panels are layered as an overskirt and bodice accent.
Delivery and Care
All commission clients receive care instructions specific to their garment. This dress came with detailed notes on storage, spot cleaning around the botanical panels, and the single-season expectation for the organic elements.