A bias skirt needs to hang overnight before trimming and finalizing the hem. Couture designers trim the hem by putting their fit model on a pedestal and trimming the hem from a comfortable position—in a chair, for instance. I had to raise my dressform up as high as possible, then kneel on the floor, to "eye" the hem and trim parallel to the ground. Next, I added the train on the back of the skirt. The pleated drapes helped to hide the zipper extension. A large square of hand-dyed and embroidered silk was draped on the bias, then attached to the back hip yoke and inserted into the back circle skirt. Now it was time to step back and see where I needed to add embellishments to balance the design, and make it more than just a pretty dress. The center front bodice was made from a silk/rayon brocade from China, with a delicate spray of cherry blossoms. These tiny flowers were illuminated with Swarovski Austrian Crystals. For the hip sash and bustle, two large scarf-like bias pieces were attached on the front hip, coaxed into pleated drapes around the opposite hip, and secured at center back. The end of the scarf fell softly over the top of the train, creating a bustle effect. At this point, with all the back skirt and bustle elements in place, a custom zipper was carefully hand sewn into the garment. The zipper was hidden under the bustle and pleats, but also needed to be sturdy enough for a traveling show. The final garment is a fitted bodice with a variety of rich fabrics—many layers of collage and embellishment, flowing into a one-and-a-quarter-circle-skirt including the quarter-circle train. The hip drape and bustle draws the eye down from the sparkling bodice, to the dramatic sweep of silk and velvet.