2017, at the beginning of my historical sewing journey, in the midst of discovering the world of historical fashion, I also discovered a love for period drama movies and television shows. One of which was "The Borgias" tv series, focusing on the powerful papal family during the Italian Rennaisance. 

The daughter, Lucrezia, was featured in several visually stunning, and seemingly historically accurate/inspired pieces, taking inspiration from artwork from the time. I loved the promotional photo of Lucrezia in a blue gown with gold and pearl detailing. 

In 2017, I only made half of the gown, put it to the side, and left it in a bag in my closet. Four years later, I rediscovered the dress, found that I did a horrible job making it, and decided to redo the entire thing to make it look how I envisioned in the first place. 

Restarting the project, redesigning the sleeves, adding embellishments, and using what little fabric I still had, the long-lost Lucrezia dress breathed new life once again.

Soft chiffon peaking through the taffeta sleeves and bodice resembles that of a shift, although faux poufs were also found in remaining extant garments. Finished with gold brocade and a jade necklace, the project met its end. 

Photographed by WellDressedHistorian.