designer/seamstress
Rachel Murphy

“The Golden Wood,” inspired by the Elven-wood “Lothlorien” of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle-earth, is a brand new, one-off original design Irish dance dress created by Rachel Murphy of Silverlode Needlecraft. The base material is a light jade-gold metallic silk, and the appliqué includes a variety of glitterdot and metallic fabrics in shades of pale green, gold, and silver. All the satin stitching, including the Elvish lettering, is freehand machine work in shades of gold, silver, green, and jade-blue metallic threads, and combines traditional knotwork with geometric flower/tree/leaf designs. The dress, two-shouldered cape, and tiara are accented with Swarovski (genuine Austrian) crystals in shades of Citrine and Crystal Aurora Borealis.

The Elvish on the skirt rim is Treebeard’s poetic, Entishly rambling description of Lothlorien from The Lord of the Rings: “Laurelindorenan lindelorendor malinorelion ornemalin,” which is, roughly translated, “Land of the Valley of the Singing Wood—golden, singing, wood—golden (mallorn) tree—golden tree.”