Disney movies hold a special place in our childhoods. For some, they’re nostalgic, a reminder of the simpler days. For others, the movies and characters have influenced the way they see the world. For Ivy Thompson, however, a Disney production was the inspiration for her to create an amazing dress.
Thompson learned to sew from her mom and her grandmother. “I don’t have any kind of background in sewing or design, but I’m looking forward to taking my first official sewing class at the end of the month,” she told Business Insider. Initially, she came up with the concept for the dress after seeing a production of Cinderella. Later, when she learned about a masquerade ball being held in Seattle, it was the motivation she needed to bring her vision to life.
Thompson, who describes herself as an “English teacher by day [and] seamstress by night”, worked hard on perfecting the design. She hoped to create a dress that would appear to transform before the viewer’s eyes. For her, the hardest part was figuring out how to make the dress transform in one smooth motion. Eventually, however, a snap panel and series of laces would bring the illusion to life.
After incorporating laces on the back of the dress, Thompson connected the lacing to a snap panel in the front. Using a pull cord and simple flick of the wrist, she puts the transformation into motion.
Initially, it’s a gorgeous princess gown.
You can see the Disney inspirations in its design with the shoulder-less style and bell-shaped skirt. But when Thompson begins to spin, tugging the pull cord in the process, the ballgown suddenly begins to morph.
Like a caterpillar emerging from a cocoon, Thompson’s gown transforms into a beautiful, butterfly-inspired vision.
Thompson ultimately mastered the smoothness required for a convincing transformation— and seeing it in action truly is reminiscent of the classic Cinderella scene.
When Thompson posted a short video of the dress on Reddit, it immediately went viral. There’s something so magical in the transformation, sewing aficionados were dying to try it for themselves: “This dress is absolutely stunning. I would LOVE to attempt this for my daughter’s prom,” wrote Reddit user alrhios.
If any master seamstresses would like to attempt a transformation dress, YouTuber Becca Beach recruited her mother to create a tutorial.
There isn’t much information online about transformation dresses, so videos like this are few and far between. Beach’s mother doesn’t appear to be using the same method as Thompson, but the transformation is impressive, nonetheless.
Since being featured by INSIDER, Thompson’s transformation has been viewed 1.7 million times.
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