Cherry Blossom Appeal for Japan......Donate, and win a made-to-measure dress

One short week ago......
Like everyone else, I have been watching the terrible pictures and reports from Japan with an increasing sense of horror......and the situation there seems to be getting worse and worse on so many fronts. To try and counteract  the feeling of helplessness engendered by the constant stream of images of the Japanese people's suffering, I wanted to do something, however small, to offer a little help and solidarity. To that end I'd like to give readers the opportunity to win a made-to-measure version of my 'Anais' dress. I'd suggest donating a small sum  to the appeal, in which case your details will be entered automatically... (or if you prefer not to donate, you can leave a comment below, stating you'd like to be entered, and I will include your details for free).

Draw now closed.....click here to find out who won!

Original sketch for 'Anais'

Original 'Anais' sample

This design, a sample from my 'Sidonie' collection,  was inspired by cherry blossom opening against an azure sky. This is such an iconic image in Japanese culture, with cherry blossom being regarded as the unofficial national flower, that it seemed an appropriate design to choose for this occasion. Particularly as it is at this time of year that towns and cities around the country would normally have been starting to prepare for the festivals that celebrate the first opening of the blossom..... Sendai's ornamental cherry trees are usually seen at their best around the middle of April. 

But now.............

For a suggested donation of £5, your name will be automatically  entered into a free draw to win the made-to-measure dress.(You are also able to enter for free, by commenting below). The closing date is 25th April, and the randomly selected winner will be announced on 1st May. I will then e-mail you a measurement form, and your exclusive dress will be sent to you 4-6 weeks later.

I have set up a special Paypal account to collect donations, and once the closing date has been reached, every penny collected will be donated to the British Red Cross Tsunami fund.

The original sample design (plus me); photo by Jacqui Mcsweeney 

Two layers of sheer aqua silk chiffon, over matching silk crepe-de-chine, make this the lightest, airiest of styles. It fastens at the back with tiny silk rouleau loops and covered highball buttons,  and the skirt is given extra kick with an integral petticoat of soft tulle. A lining of pink silk habutai picks out the colour of the silk-ribbon cherry blossom. The silk ribbon is hand-coloured for an ombre effect, and little yellow beaded stamen complete the detailing.

I can guarantee that whoever wins this dress will not be disappointed. The original sample, pictured here,  was bought by a bride-to-be from The US, who wore it for her wildly romantic wedding on a tree-top walkway in a  Floridian wildlife-reserve......

Use the button below if you'd like to donate your £5....it will take you directly to the secure Paypal site, where you can use a variety of methods to pay (you don't need to have a Paypal account in order to use this facility).

By doing this you are automatically entered into the draw.  (See above for an alternative way of entering if you feel you'd rather not make a donation) If you don't fancy the dress for yourself, perhaps it would make a lovely gift for a friend or loved one.....
I'd be so grateful if you could also spread the word about this offer, either via one of the social media buttons below, or by linking to this post directly......