Our interpretation of Taylor’s Grammy dress features a large, flowing train to incorporate fresh florals into the design. The main dress itself is adorned with dried and pressed flowers, individually glued onto a tulle fabric base covered in skeleton leaves. Each flower, many of which came from West Queen Studio’s garden and Flowers by Janie’s garden, took about 30 minutes to press and dry.
We tested hundreds of flowers, pressing them with short microwave press blasts before transferring them to a dehydrator. Shaping the leaves as they dried allowed us to achieve the texture and dimensionality of the original dress. Once fully dried, the flowers were sprayed with a floral preservative to prevent shattering and add fire retardancy. We then used floral cold glue to attach the blooms, mimicking the intricate patterns of the Oscar de la Renta dress!
To ensure the train was as stunning as the dress, we used thick floral chicken wire attached to the mannequin's waist, flowing into large painter tubs filled with water and floral food to keep the flowers hydrated. Hidden containers with metal frog pins hold 13 purple “Vanda Magic Blue” orchids, symbolizing Taylor's favourite colour and number! The train also includes hydrangeas and roses, adding a personal touch with some of her favourite blooms.