Regency Romance

Regency Romance is a delicate sculptural artwork that bridges two eras of feminine craft—the elegance of early 19th-century fashion and the practicality of mid-20th-century home sewing. This piece captures the high-waisted empire silhouette synonymous with Jane Austen's England, complete with its characteristic square neckline, puffed sleeves, and flowing skirt that falls from just beneath the bust.

Constructed entirely from vintage sewing pattern paper, the dress has been transformed through a gentle aging process using rose petal dye, which imbues the material with soft peachy-gold undertones and subtle variations in tone. This natural dyeing technique adds warmth and depth to what would otherwise be stark white paper, suggesting the passage of time and lending the piece an authentic period patina.

The decorative elements—the geometric embellishments at the hemline and along the sleeves, the structured bodice details, and the delicate circles and diamond shapes—are all carefully extracted from the pattern paper itself. These printed marks, originally intended as construction guides for seamstresses (cutting lines, dart placements, buttonhole indicators), are here repurposed as ornamental trim, echoing the restrained neoclassical decoration favoured in Regency design.

Text fragments in multiple languages peek through on the sleeves, remnants of the pattern's original instructions for lengthening or shortening, now serving as an accidental multilingual poetry of alteration and adaptation.

Regency Romance celebrates the continuity of women's making traditions while highlighting how the tools of creation can themselves become objects of beauty. Presented in a shadow box frame against rich burgundy, the piece invites contemplation of fashion history, domestic artistry, and the transformative power of reimagination.