Where is Alexandra's coronation dress?

[Ally Kumari]

I saw the coronation dresses a few years ago, and was struck by how ridiculously small Minnie's waist was.  Obviously, she would have been tightly corseted, but it is still extremely small by today's standards.  Alexandra's dress didn't appear as unnaturally small around the waist.

One would think she grew "bigger" after children... at the time of her coronation she already had them all...... while Alix only one.

[Yelena Aleksandrovna]

I think that Alix was a little bit plumper than Marie Feodorovna. Anyway the corsete changed completely
the measures of the ladies, imagine someone with waists of 50 centimeters!!! That's a very small waist! Of course
not natural

[Pilgrim]

 The style of the dress was approved by Nickolas I (1834) as a court dress style.
The "creation" of the coronation dress started 1 year before coronation. The brocade for the dress was produced by Moscow company of Sapozhnikov brothers[ (A.and V. Sapozhnikovi) /b].
From Moscow  the material was sent to St.Petersburg to Madame Olga Bulbenkova firm (official dressmaker for Russian court). Olga Bulbenkova made patterns, wich were sent  to Moscow to the nuns of Ivanov Monastery in Kremlin. The nuns embroidered the patterns and sent them back to St.Petersburg for last "assembling".
The dress consists of 3 parts (the total weight of the coronation dress is 10 kg (appx.20 pounds))
The embroidery design was done by Maria Ermolova (maid of honor), she was an expert of embroidery art. By the way Aleksandra and Nickolai select her design from offered 3 designs.They didn't know the name of author, because Maria Ermolova offered it as anonymos.
All process of creation of Coronation Set for Aleksandra was under control of Maria Ermolova also.
 




The shoes were made by Ivan Egorov's shoe store from the same brocade.





The coronation robe-mantle's ("PORFIRA") weight is 13 kg (26 pounds) is the same as Nikolai's and Maria Fedorovna's was made from light gold brocade with ermine on silk lining. 7 persons should help to keep this robe, for this case there were done 7 special "handles" on the lining. It was very hard to keep the robe and the train of the dress at the same time!!!

[Yelena Aleksandrovna]

I have never sawn her shoes before, what is written inside of them?
i've never imagined that it was so heavy!!! :-O

[Pilgrim]

It is just a logo of shoe store of Ivan Egorov. He was working very close with dressmaker Olga Bulbenkova' firm. And was making shoes for her clients as a set to the dress. And very often there were 2 names inside the shoes - "Madame Oldga and Ivan Egorov" as on the photo.

[Yelena Aleksandrovna]

Thanks for the information Pilgrim ;-)

[Pilgrim]

You are welcome!

[katmaxoz]

What interesting information on the robes Pilgirm. Thank you very much for sharing it. I don't suposse you have a pattern for the dress?  I've never seen a pattern for a court dress though I did see one being put on a model in the Grand Duchess Olga documentry.

[Tasia]

I have never sawn her shoes before, what is written inside of them?
i've never imagined that it was so heavy!!! :-O

Ugh... Me neither, poor Alexandra...
Just has beauty on it @_@
Thanks, Pilgrim

[Alexander1917]

That's why Alexandra said, "I was pinned to the ground."

[Tasia]

That's why Alexandra said, "I was pinned to the ground."

Lol ^^'''

[Yelena Aleksandrovna]

I would think the same than Alexandra in the same situation :-S

[kamlowsky]

This is an absolutely exquisite thread. The craftmanship is phenomenal.  Such expertise these artistisans had to create such masterpieces of elegance.  The shoes are timeless. I could wear the style today.  Thank you for such an informative thread.