Ten days or so since I sprinted out of Nooshin’s Savile Row studio, I’m back for phase two of The Dress. On my last visit we decided what the dress was going to be for, it’s colour, fabric and style. My measurements were taken and I thoroughly embarrassed myself. Fortunately I’m so excited about seeing the progress my dress is making that I’ve (almost) forgotten about that.
I’m here to try on the calico version of The Dress. It’s a rough cotton mock-up based on the style choices we made last time and cut to fit me. Nooshin tells me that this is really the part where the dress becomes truly bespoke and I can’t wait.
The calico is fairly uninspiring to look at on the hanger but I know that’s not the point and fight back any disappointment. I pop it on and the magic begins. Nooshin works on every last inch of the frock, analysing where it is lying to see if its overall balance can be improved. We decide to change the length of the sleeve to define my waist more. The waist itself is going to be raised a touch. The neckline is totally altered from what we decided last time. We’ll take the point at back a little lower, but not too much.
Nooshin dexterously pins as she goes. I’m aware that it could feel unnerving to have my body so closely analysed like this but it’s all done with such warmth and humour, I find that I don’t mind in the slightest.
I’ve read so often in fashion magazines that this is how many of the big name designers create their work, by sculpting fabric on a body. Seeing it happen – feeling it happen – is somehow spellbinding. And just as in the initial consultation, Nooshin is wholly focussed on making sure the end result is going to be absolutely right for me.
I move from my nervous excitement to a sense of certainty that I’m going to love it. The Dress is now starting to become really real and really mine. Now all I have to do is be patient for another fortnight or so…
