Picture shows Nicole Kidman as Satine, wearing the gown
One day my friend Katrin asked me to make her a wedding gown.
Which I did 😉
The gown I created is a fairly accurate reproduction of Satine’s red gown from Moulin Rouge.
I used what I think to be the original fabric – double-sided silk duchesse, one side woven black, the other red and the bodice was constructed with a special method I developed to construct really tight fitting bodices.
However, I watered the silk before sewing to preshrink it and to prevent the fabric from staining when getting in contact with even just water.
This softened the usually quite stiff fabric a bit, so that it now rather ‚drapes‘ rather than ’stands‘, which is especially very obvious on the ‚bustle bow‘ at the back, compared to the doll costume I have made and of which the silk has not been watered; and also in comparison with my own ‚Moulin blue‘ gown, which is not made of silk but of acetate in the same weave.
I also didn’t make the train and back bow as long as on the original gown and used golden instead of red or black grommets on the back lacing.
But in any other way, especially when it comes to the bodice pattern, I think it’s a rather accurate reproduction… compare yourself:
Pictures of my reproduction:
It’s practically impossible to capture the true color of this magnificent silk. I guess the last two pictures above show it the way it really looks like.
And this here is Katrin wearing the gown on her wedding day:
Congrats, Katrin! 🙂
Your reproduction gown is lovely; your friend looked so pretty in it 😀
I have been puttering around your site and just drooling at the fabulous fabrics, laces, trims, and the amazing construction skills you have on display. I particularly enjoyed the tale of the couch velvet (lol).
Your work is amazing, personally I believe it belongs in a museum (of course when you are done with it!)
how did you do the bustle on the back of the train? my mom and i are going to try to make this dress for my prom and i found a website that has basic guidelines on how to make the dress but i don’t like how they did the bustle. This would help us out a lot.
I have no idea what you mean by „bustle“. This is not a bustle gown. There is basically just a giant pleated bow at the back.
I like your version of the red „Satine“ dress and am looking for a basic pattern to buy and may a version for my niece’s wedding dress. She likes the boning showing in the bodice and the bow and tails in the back. I have been sewing for over 40 years and know I can make a dress for her, but I would like a basic pattern to work from and especially something for the bow in the back. Any help? I am willing to buy whatever types of patterns needed to fit it all together. Any ideas? THANKS, Lainey
Sorry, but I drafted my own pattern for the bodice so I don’t know which commercial patterns may, or may not, work for it. I think there used to be a Vogue pattern which, with lots of work and skills, could be modified into something vaguely looking like it, but I may be wrong.
The ‚bow‘ on the back isn’t really a bow. It’s basically a rectangular piece of fabric, one of the shorter sides is oval-shaped; and then, said oval-shaped side is pleated into the top of the ‚bow‘, while the other shorter side is cut at the center to the center of the rectangular piece, so the two ‚ends of the bow‘ are forming from it.
Hope that helps 🙂
are you selling the Moulin Rouge Red Satin Smoldering Temptress Gown?
No, because I don’t own „the“ red gown from Moulin Rouge. I do make replicas, though (such as the one shown on this page 😉 ).