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The first thing that hits you with Katherine is the grandeur of the ballgown, and immediately it conjures the romantic, old-world fantasy of chivalry and stately ceremony and long hallways with footmen. You could see Katherine posed under a very opulent chandelier in a manor house, or framed beside an heirloom urn. And yet, it’s also a dress that breathes a very contemporary atmosphere. It has subtlety, it has a lot of artistic touches, a lot of life. Between the layers and layers of tulle and organza there’s nothing but air, so as the dress moves, and the shadows and tones become lighter, or darker, through those waves of fabric – you get a magnificent ballet of color and shadow. It’s especially splendid where you see these gatherings of bustled crinoline, creating asymmetrical figures in the line of the gown, like you see in the back, where it’s just a bit over the top in the way it’s been tacked up. In the front, there are beautiful blooms hand-rolled out of eyelash organza, just peeking out as if from a neatly-wrapped bouquet. The gown’s natural waist, which is veiled with horsehair, draws right in for that trim hourglass silhouette, which is so classically seductive. There’s no lace or beading here: all the visual impact flows directly from the volume and the sculptural qualities of the fabric, for a consummately couture presentation.