My Chanel inspired dress - Butterick 5602!

Last week I was in a frenzy of indecision - so many fabric and pattern possibilities were whirring around my brain that I just didn’t know what to make next. At times like this I think that you can’t go too far wrong if you turn to the classics. And you can’t get much more classic than a Coco Chanel inspired little black dress trimmed with white.
 

The LBD inspired by Coco Chanel

"I said that black has it all. White too. Their beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.” Coco Chanel.

The pattern I used was Butterick 5602

Butterick 5602

I made the version drawn in pink but without the bow. I was aiming for a comfortable shift dress, as Coco also said: “Luxury must be comfortable, otherwise it is not luxury”.

However, I didn’t want it to be totally shapeless. This dress has both horizontal and vertical darts at the front and vertical darts at the back – so there is plenty of scope for getting a good fit at the bust and some curving in at the waistline.

The fabric I used is 100% wool crepe purchased from Linton Tweeds who are based in Carlisle but also have an online store. If you are going to make a ‘Chanel’ dress there is nowhere better to turn to than Linton.


Linton Tweeds showroom in Carlisle

They have been supplying fabric to Chanel since Coco herself was in residence at her Paris Salon in the Rue Cambon. To this day Linton still count the house of Chanel as one of their most prestigious clients – along with Oscar de la Renta, Balenciaga, Michael Kors, Lanvin and Caroline Herrera. Oh, and little old me, Eugenia! They supply a wonderful range of tweeds and fancy fabrics as well as a top quality wool crepe in a variety of colours.

So, with a sewing machine, a few hours work and some wool crepe anyone can have a made to measure ‘Chanel’ dress!