Prince Velen

(from Prince and Eveningstar movie)

Velen, a young, spoiled prince, has three sisters, and they always tease each other. One day, when their father is away and the poor, tired prince soaks his sore feet in a washbasin (the princesses stole his shoes in the woods, and he had to go barefooted back), he looks through the open window to the night sky and accuses the brightest star, that it only shines and it doesn't worry about anything. Suddenly in a bright light appears a beautiful young lady, Eveningstar, and she promises him to find suitors for his sisters - all for one kiss from Velen. The king of the Sun, of the Moon and the Wind come this night and take away the princess Helenka, Elenka and Lenka... But when the king returns, he doesn't like it at all, and Velen sets off for journey to find his sisters - and Eveningstar too.

I always considered the Velen's costume as a one of most elegant pseudohistorical male movie costume No wonder - Theodor Pištěk, who designed costumes for Forman's Amadeus, designed the costumes also for this movie.

I obtained Matt O'Neill by chance last year. Nothing against him, but the lower jaw of the doll is incredible - and unacceptable for me. So I took my dremel and the finest sandpapers I could find, and sanded a piece of his face off, then I repainted him. I have not so strong fingers and wrists to be able to reroot him, so I shaved his head and made a wig for him. I made a tulle cap and knotted the wig with a small latch hook (that was used for repairs of nylon tights), like a rug.

Description

Costume for 16" doll Matt O"Neill by Tonner.

The brown jacket with square neckline fastens back with snaps. It is reinforced with a stiff woven interlining, that was cut out without seam allowances. I also cut out the 9 slashes nnto the front part, a little bigger, than the finished slashes would be, and ironed the parts to the wrong side of satin. Then I cut out the slashes in satin with small seam allowances, and burned them off with the pointed soldering iron, so they did not fray. The seam allowances of the slashes I turned to the wrong side and attached with the buttonhole stitch. From the slashes, trimmed around with a special golden chain stitch, peeks out the gathered silk. The jacket was lined, embellished with golden trims and a brooch, made from a piece of a filigree finding, fine chain and beads.
The three-times gathered sleeves are set into high cuffs, the cuffs fasten wit snaps.
The leather breeches are lined and fasten at back with a snap. On each knee, there are four vertical slashes, through them peeks out the gathered lining. The trouser stripes are from fake suede and thick bullion.
The glittering dark brown cloak has half-cicular shape, it is a little gathered on each shoulder.Under the rosettes (separately made) there are snaps that fasten the cloak to the jacket. The cloak is lined.
The prince has also the scallop neck shirt and the white tights, so the dark parts of the outfit doesn't touch the plastic of the doll at all.
The musketeer boots I wanted to do without any closure or fastning. It was not bed of roses, believe me. Although the boots are partially machine sewn, to finish them took me one whole Saturday. It was good thing that Matt has joints also in ankles :-) The lining cut in bias, it is essential.. I used the Chemopren glue, it was strong and flexible enough for glueing the sole.
To the costume belongs also the flat hat with plummage and the belt, from which hangs the sheath with the dagger. The dagger was created from the two-part epoxy putty and two layers of a tinplate.

Used materials

for the jacket I used a brown polyester satin, lined in a white battiste;
the cloak is from a dark brown knitting with glitters;
the sleeves are from a vintage cream madeira fabric;
the flat hat is from a yellowish brown fabric, looking like a suede;
the frills and the filling of the slashes on the jacket are from a off-white pongee;
for the lining of the sleeves, the breeches, the cloak and the boots I used a brown habotai;
the breeches, the boots, the belt and the sheath are made from fine brown leathers;
the shirt is from a fine white cotton linen, and the tihgts from a white cotton/lycra blend knitting.


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