American Duchess Releases Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking, an Amazon Best Seller in the Sewing Category

    RENO, NV, September 26, 2017 /24-7PressRelease/ -- With the rising popularity of shows like "Game of Thrones" and Broadway plays like "Hamilton," fans are eager to create period gowns that emulate the characters they admire. That's why Lauren Stowell and Abby Cox, owners and operators of the popular online stores American Duchess and Royal Vintage Shoes, have teamed up to author "The American Duchess Guide to 18th Century Dressmaking: How to Hand Sew Georgian Gowns and Wear Them With Style."

Using the same hand-sewing techniques done by historic dressmakers, the book teaches readers to recreate everything from wool petticoats to grand silk gowns to big feathered hats. The book is currently available to pre-order on Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other major booksellers.

With more than two months until its scheduled release on Tuesday, November 21, 2017 the book has already risen to the #1 spot on Amazon's 'Best Seller' list in the sewing category, with pre-orders continuing to skyrocket. The book recreates four complete ensembles from the 18th century - the English Gown, the Sacque, the Italian Gown and the Round Gown - along with accompanying accessories. Each project includes detailed easy-to-follow steps describing fabric types, patterns, stitch techniques, shortcuts and troubleshooting methods.

About the Authors: Lauren Stowell is the founder and CEO of American Duchess and Royal Vintage Shoes. She is a historical costumer and footwear historian with a fondness for 18th century dress as well as the vintage 20th century decades. Abby Cox, the company's vice president, specializes in 18th century history, antique dressmaking and sewing techniques.

"We put everything into the book - our combined knowledge and experience, hearts, souls, and passion - and we could not be happier with the final result, added Lauren Stowell. "Abby and I are both ecstatic to see our work as a Best Seller on Amazon! We never dared hope that something so nerdy as 18th century hand sewing could be anywhere near the top of that list. It's thrilling to see."

Stowell and Cox supply historically accurate shoes and accessories for theater, films and event productions all over the world, including ABC's Once Upon a Time, Starz's Outlander and American Gods, Broadway's Hamilton and Cinderella. Their shoes have also been used by the New York Metropolitan Opera, Ford's Theater and have walked the red carpet at the Academy Awards.

About American Duchess and Royal Vintage Shoes:
Founded in 2011 by owner and designer Lauren Stowell, American Duchess is a historical footwear company that specializes in Renaissance, 18th century, Regency, Edwardian, and Victorian styles. Lauren's first design, the "Georgiana," launched in April of 2011 as a crowdfunding project, funding overnight and launching the new company. Since then, American Duchess has produced over fifty historic styles, including the world's only reproduction button boots, and in 2015 the company expanded into the 1920s, 30s, and 40s with Royal Vintage.

Abby Cox, vice president, joined Lauren in 2016, bringing with her an incomparable academic knowledge of antique dressmaking and 18th century history. Abby has greatly expanded the company's online presence, utilizing social media tools to broaden each company's outreach to over 100,000 followers. Together, their shared passion for preserving and highlighting history's most iconic styles has led American Duchess and Royal Vintage products to be featured in several performances, films, and television shows, including the Phantom of the Opera Tour, "Cinderella" on Broadway, and the Jimmy Fallon Show.

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