Sunday, July 10, 2016

My Collection: Red velvet Alexis gown

This gown was worn by Joan Collins as Alexis Carrington Colby on "Dynasty."

Joan wore this gown in episode 157 of season 7 "The Ball" and in the following episode 158 of season 7 "Fear."

Alexis wears this gown in many scenes at her "Black & White Ball" for charity.  While everyone else wears their color appropriate black or white evening wear, Alexis makes quite an entrance wearing red.

This gown is red velvet with red satin accents.  The gown has a plunging neckline and back which are held in place with a length of metal wire on either side.  The body of the gown is very structured with a built in corset and a hook tie enclosure at the back waist.  The cap sleeves are embellished with two large rounded pieces of red velvet fabric lined with red satin on the front and back of the gown, with two crescent shaped stuffed pieces of red pleated satin placed in between on either side of the gown.  The rounded velvet pieces at the shoulders have thin pieces of wire sewn inside of them to keep their form and ruffle effect.  The gown has a long rounded train of red pleated satin which is accented with two long pieces of red velvet fabric lined with red satin which form ruffles on either side of the train.

A thin strip of velvet was attached to the back of the gown between the shoulders, most likely as a safety precaution to ensure no wardrobe malfunctions occurred due to the heavy shoulders and very low cut back and front of the gown.  The velvet strip has since been removed.