Project Versailles
The first thought that came to my mind when I read the theme for the upcoming Madrid Fashion Doll Show's 13th convention, New Chic Versailles, was 'Let them eat cake!'
Now, I'll be upfront about something before we go any further: I already did the math, and math is an unforgiving bitch. I won't actually be able to attend the convention this year. I have other priorities that have to come first right now, and as much as it pains me to say it, Madrid isn't in the cards. But here's the thing. The moment I read the theme, my brain went straight to pearls, candlelit halls dripping in gold, sweeping ball gowns with skirts you could hide a dining table under, and yes, the most obscenely beautiful cakes you have ever seen in your life.
I was so excited that I've decided I'm going to build the costume anyway. No competition, no convention floor, just me, my dolls, and the sheer joy of chasing an aesthetic that grabbed me by the collar and refused to let go. I don't get struck by inspiration all that often, honestly. But when it hits? I roll with it.
And roll with it, I absolutely did.
So I apologize in advance: if you came here today hoping for doll photos, I don't have any for you yet. What I do have is a collection of concept sketches, what I'm calling Project Versailles, because I needed to get these ideas out of my head and onto paper before they evaporated. I sketched out two variations of what I'm imagining as the centerpiece of the whole aesthetic, a grand multi-tiered confection that looks more like a piece of haute couture architecture than anything you'd actually eat. She and the cake are meant to be counterparts; one wears Versailles, the other embodies it. Together, they're the whole story.
Both designs feature multiple tiers stacked on ornate gilded cake stands, draped in swags of gold beading and hanging teardrop pendants that look like they were borrowed directly from a Versailles chandelier. Roses (or as close as I can get to roses, anyway) cascade across each tier in full bloom, tucked between pearl-edged borders. As for how this cake comes to life in miniature, well, I've already dubbed it my Hero Cake, and I have not one but two incredibly talented people who have stepped up to the challenge.
The amazing Infamous M has volunteered to create a handmade version, despite having approximately zero spare time. Hedging my bets, another artist I know who designs 3D STL files has also thrown his hat in the ring as well. I suspect it's going to come down to whichever version I can repaint the least before it starts looking good. I know the frustrating loop of painting and repainting all too well.
Now, here's where I need you to weigh in, because I genuinely cannot decide and even without a competition deadline breathing down my neck, I still have to pick a direction.
A quick note before we dive in: I tried to keep the figure in these sketches close to Moira's curvy made-to-move proportions, so you can get a better sense of how each look would actually sit on her body.
The Ballgown:
This one is the fairytale, plain and simple. It's the gown I used to doodle in the margins of my notebooks as a kid, dragged into Versailles territory and given a pearl-and-gold upgrade. Off-the-shoulder sweetheart bodice, little puffed sleeves, and a plunging V-neckline that I've filled in with nude mesh because a) décolletage drama and b) I need something holding the front of this thing together. The V points down to a pearl-and-gold belt at the waist, and then the skirt just… goes. Multi-tiered ruffles for days, the kind of skirt that enters a room before you do. I have no idea how I'm going to get that much volume to behave at 1:6 scale, but future-me can figure that out.
The Pearl:
This one is meant to be the opposite of the ballgown in every way. Where the ballgown is all volume and fairytale, this one is skin and swagger. The "bodice" is basically nude mesh covered in swirls of gold and white pearls that follow the lines of the body, so the beadwork reads as the actual garment and the mesh disappears. Off-the-shoulder cap sleeves, same pearl story curving across the back. From the hip down, it's a fitted bodycon skirt with a slit that goes way up the thigh, and the exposed leg is framed by another strip of pearl-encrusted mesh so the beading looks like it's trailing right down her skin. I’d also like to do a detachable overskirt that clips at the hips for when she wants the extra drama. I'm calling it two outfits in one and pretending that's not just me hedging my bets again. This is the look that's going to make me question every life choice that led me to trying to hand-bead pearls onto 1:6 scale mesh, but I want it badly enough to try.
The Boudoir:
This one is the wildcard, and honestly the one I'm most nervous about. It's a gender-bent Versailles courtier situation, mixing the masculine silhouettes of the period with the feminine, and reframing all the private layers (bloomers, dressing robe) as the whole outfit. The base is a strapless corset over tap-style bloomers with ruffled cuffs hitting mid-thigh. I’m debating about whether or not to try and do a pair of boots with pearls all over them, but I don’t want to go too over the top…do I? Hmmmm. Anyway, over it goes the showstopper: a floor-length robe with a huge gathered portrait collar framing the face and shoulders, sleeves that puff out at the elbow, and a hem that falls open at the front (so the bloomers are the whole point) and trails into a dramatic sweep behind her. Vertical pearl-and-gold trim runs down both front edges of the robe from collar to hem. It's the riskiest of the three, but I’m up for the challenge…I think.
So, which is your favorite? I have the analytics to see you're out there. Now I'm wondering if you're all just as indecisive as I am — wouldn't that take the cake 😉. Bonus question while you're here: I need to order fabric sooner rather than later, and I can't decide on a palette. Pistachio and gold, or full-send Barbie pink? While I wait, I'm going to start playing with mesh. I have no idea how to sew pearl beads into mesh... talk about a crash course. Wish me luck?
