Caitlin Wright FINDS inspiration within yesteryear and creates garments meant to last a lifetime.
With her braided crown of fiery red hair, you might expect a certain feistiness from Caitlin Wright. Instead, you find a gentle soul with an eye for detail and a passion for precision. These traits fit well with her Alexandria-based business, Atelier Delska, which specializes in recreating vintage and historical garments.
While studying history at Mount Allison University in New Brunswick, Caitlin began to see clothing as a distinct reflection of every era. This discovery prompted her to travel abroad to Australia for a Costume Studies and Fashion Business Program where she fell in love with complex constructions and design.
Caitlin admits often being skeptical of the peculiar quirks of a certain era of fashion, like exaggerated Gigot or “leg-of-mutton” sleeves of the 1830s or comically wide hips of the Marie-Antionette era of the 1750s to 1770s. Interestingly, these quirks are the very things that have expanded her view of fashion and beauty.
“My favourite time period is whichever one I’m working on,” she says. “While I’m working on a project, my eyes adjust and I get used to that era’s idea of beauty. I see such a variety of what beauty can be. There is no one right answer. It becomes a question of: ‘What is beauty to you?’”
My work is about connecting with history and real people. It takes away the sepia tone of history and removes some of that otherness.
At right: 1930s green floral dress. It is cut on the bias to fit the form and keep to the iconic look of the 1930s. Extra interest comes from a collar and handmade bow detail. 
Robe à la Française. 1760s cotton saque gown made with Colonial Williamsburg reproduction fabric (1750-1760s) with false compère button-up front. Pattern is a modified version of Janet Arnold’s Patterns of Fashion Snowhill Manor gown. 
Caitlin Wright leaves no detail untouched. 
Left and right: 1876 Silk Faille Gown. This is inspired by styles of the end of the Early Bustle Era. Careful pleating of silk charmeuse is added to the silk faille skirt, overskirt and bodice. The bodice is fully boned to support the silhouette. Trim and internal finishing is completed with tiny hand stitching. 
Left: 1860s hoop skirt. Middle: Corset, 1830s/1840s made with cotton sateen. Right: Cotton Edwardian drawers and corset cover. 
1830s Gigot Sleeve Gown, cotton, worn over a corded and flounced petticoat. Based on a printed cotton gown in the Victoria and Albert Museum’s collection. 
Skirt from a 1870s silk/cotton voile gown. A light summery gown with a fitted bodice and gathered flounce detailing. 
As part of her work, Caitlin creates custom corsetry. Each one is a custom fit, and made to historical specifications.
The 31-year-old started creating custom commissions in 2014 but only recently began marketing her unique services more aggressively on social media. Her efforts have not gone unnoticed. Her work is now featured in Ottawa’s Museum of Nature and the Glengarry Pioneer Museum and is also sought after by historical re-enactors. Many of her clients—mostly from North America—come to her for modern bespoke pieces inspired by more recent times, such as the 1920s or 1950s.
Caitlin’s commitment to historical accuracy sends her scouring through any available reference material, ranging from online museum archives to Sears fashion illustrations. Depending on a client’s wishes, the results may be an exact replica — right down to the way the fabric was dyed to the thread and button choice — or a looser interpretation of an era with a modern twist. Some clients arrive with an entire detailed vision while others leave it to Caitlin to choose the right silhouette, fabrics, and overall look.
“My work is about connecting with history and real people,” says Caitlin. “It takes away the sepia tone of history. I listen to what they want and try to understand their vision. I want them to feel connected with their clothing.”
Currently, Caitlin is working with a bride from Seattle, who found her dream French evening gown (circa 1911 ) in New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art and then searched high and low for a historical dressmaker to recreate it. After finding Atelier Delska on Instagram, she and Caitlin work remotely to execute the dress down to every last trim detail.
I see such a variety of what beauty can be and that there is no one right answer. It becomes a question of: ‘What is beauty to you?’
Caitlin sees historical fashion trends — the flux of waistlines, necklines, and hem lengths — as a mirror of an era’s values. As she looks at today’s fashion trends, she sees a focus on sustainable fabrics and quality construction. She attributes this to an increasing awareness of fast fashion’s effect on the earth and continues to be part of the solution by creating beautiful garments with intention, all while picking up threads from the past.
All photos by Lee Ladouceur/ Ladouceur Photo.
