Morpho Butterfly Ballgown

I've wanted to do a fantasy version of the robe à la française (mid-1700s) for years; the back pleats were just calling to be made into butterfly wings. I chose my favourite butterfly, the blue morpho.

The dress is silk dupioni (not at all period, but had the two-toned look I wanted to match my butterfly). The hem is hand-dyed and painted; stomacher and sleeves are hand-beaded, and I made all the underpinnings.