The base of this piece is a wedding dress that was gifted to me by a family friend. When transforming this dress, I did not want to completely change the story– I simply wanted to add to it. To achieve this, I finished the edges, hand gathered, and hand sewed 200+ ruffles to the dress, creating a natural gradient of black curves up the train and skirt. The Inky Cap mushroom was my main source of inspiration; it turns black and drips as it ages, mimicking the way love tends to decay and change over time. The harness and posture collar, made of a sustainable vegetable tanned leather, add structure to the bodice, contrasting the chaos of the ruffles while representing the restrictions that come with love.