SWATHES OF BUTTERFLIES

The colour red is beautiful

Valentino designed his own distinctive red many years ago, and it has become iconic among his collections of stunning gowns. I simply love his designs, and my 2010 formal dress reflected a few classic Valentino elements. The mermaid silhouette with a subtle sweetheart neckline, and halter straps echo Valentino's minimalist shapes and forms. The fabric is a rich red silk Dupioni, of course. 

I spent a good couple of hours making metres of same-fabric ribbon, and then hand embroidered that ribbon into flowers. With the needle and thread, I worked the fabric into a garden, visited by a flurry of tiny butterflies.

Taking pictures in the garden was a lot of fun, my sister and I climbed over rusting pieces of corrugated metal, and mossy rocks to get these shots...