1912 Steel Blue Silk Shantung Afternoon Gown

This lovely 1912 afternoon gown was commissioned for a special event, to be worn by the actress who had played the Countess of Rothes in the 1997 Titanic movie.  The gown was made as a replica of the French original, in the colour (steel blue) and fabric (shantung) described in the antique text.  

I was originally planning to develop this design as a sewing pattern, but realized after making it that the construction was probably too complex, and that the pattern would really only be feasible for advanced sewists with historical sewing experience.  I may still change my mind! 

As with almost all silk dresses of the era, this one is built over a closely-fitted boned foundation, and with complicated asymmetrical closures.  I've included a short video below which I made to demonstrate the closure arrangements on this gown, which were, despite their complexity, not uncommon in dresses of the 1910's.