Gold Venetian

This courtesan gown was designed after this portrait:

which has caused costumers a lot of frustration over the years. The biggest issue is the front of the dress and the lack of closures. Venetian gowns typically have ties or lacing in the front. This one clearly does not. As the model is clearly not a twiggy waif of a thing, the enduring mystery is how her dress stays like that. Super glue? Fairy dust? An omission on the part of the artist?

In the end, a tie had to be added. There was no way around it. My gown is made of silk dupioni with black velvet trim. I wore it once and then it was gifted to a friend from my SCA household, who breathed a whole new life into it. I'm very happy it found it's way to her.