How to MAKE Cheryl’s Grecian Goddess Dress
Source: ITV.com / Versace
Sewing Expert Dawn Wood says:
Any asymmetric shoulder or strapless dress such as those seen here can be turned into a classical column with the addition of a length of fabric.
You may find a friend or a tailors dummy helpful here so the draping sits where you want it to.
The width and length of fabric needed is dependent on the type you use, your height and the amount of draping you want to achieve. I would suggest chiffon, lightweight crepe or satin but experiment and see what works best for you. In the case of the Versace dress there are 4 lengths of fabric, with the longest and widest used on the skirt.
Make your fabric narrower in width by pleating or gathering along the full length of it. It is also possible to get fabric ready pleated. Starting at the centre back upper hip level, stitch the medium size length (approx 120-140cm long and 25-40cm wide) carefully to the dress, take your fabric, reduced to a narrow width, and lift it upwards across your body and under your right arm and then across your back to meet your left shoulder. In the Versace dress it looks as if this length is then stitched to the left shoulder.
A separate length of fabric (approx 105-120cm long and 30-50cm wide), is pleated or gathered down to a narrow width. This is then stitched at the same centre back point then taken up and over the left armhole catching it to the edge of the dress and back over the shoulder to the centre back.
For the skirt drape take the longer piece of fabric (approx 225-260 cm long 96-120cm wide) folding into a narrow band for 25cm each side of middle point. Attach once again at the centre back and then drape loosely over the hip at both front and back, meeting and covering the edges of the other drapes at the centre back point and finish on the opposite side of the body. Stitch it down a few inches each side and then let it cascade open to the ground
A shorter 4th drape follows the hipline and is then caught across the buttocks and tucked under the skirt drape
These directions are a vague estimation of the Versace dress but feel free to play with the fabric to create your own unique inner goddess. You could also stitch beads or jewellery over the meeting points of the various drapes at the front and back.
Dawn Wood
