Free Designer Pattern: Giles Deacon Dress

SHOWstudio image of Giles Deacon's 'Troubadour' dress, modelled by Ranya Mordanova — Giles Deacon’s ‘Troubadour’ dress. Video: Nick Knight. Model: Ranya Mordanova. Image: SHOWstudio.

The latest project in SHOWstudio’s Design Download series is a dress by Giles Deacon. The Design Download project aims to “demystify the fashion process by offering prestigious designer garment patterns for download via the Internet.”

Past Design Downloads have had an interactive component, with people submitting their versions for inclusion in a gallery on the SHOWstudio website. This time it’s a contest, and the winning dress—to be chosen by Giles Deacon and Nick Knight—will be featured in a special SHOWstudio fashion film.

The free pattern design, called the ‘Troubadour’ dress, is drawn from the Fall/Winter 2007 Giles collection. The original was made in green double-faced silk duchesse satin. Here’s the dress on the runway (the late Anna Piaggi is visible in the audience):

Green Troubadour dress modelled on the runway by Lara Stone - Giles Deacon FW 2007 — Giles Fall 2007. Model: Lara Stone. Image: vogue.com.

The collection also included a similar dress in orange satin:

Orange Troubadour dress modelled on the runway by Daiane Conterato - Giles FW 2007 — Giles Fall 2007. Model: Daiane Conterato. Image: vogue.com.

The Fall/Winter 2007 Giles collection was inspired by savage nature, with lots of feathers, leather, and pops of tropical colour. Deacon said his conceptual starting point was “Google Earth—and then I went off on so many tangents.” (See Suzy Menkes, “School’s Out for Saint Martin’s Master Class.”) Here’s the collection image from L’Officiel 1000 modèles (click to enlarge). The headpieces are by Stephen Jones:

London: Giles FW 2007 rtw in L'Officiel 1000 modeles no. 74 — Giles Fall 2007 ready-to-wear. Image: jalougallery.com.

Update: Hywel Davies chose the orange Troubadour dress as the Bath Fashion Museum’s Dress of the Year:

Giles 2007 orange giant knit scarf and silk satin dress (Gina shoes) — Giles: Orange giant knit scarf and silk satin dress, shoes by Gina. Image: The Fashion Museum, Bath.

Giles pattern pieces at SHOWstudio. — Image: SHOWstudio.

Download the ‘Troubadour’ dress pattern

Size: UK size 10 (standard measurements: bust 34″ – waist 26″ – hip 37″)

Recommended fabrics: heavy silk, denim, leather, and other fabrics with a good amount of body

There’s still time to enter: the deadline for submissions is Friday, March 15th, 2013 at midnight GMT. (See the SHOWstudio site for submission details.) Will you be entering the contest?