The work of London designer Ellie Misner immediately captivated Lena Dunham.
“When I saw Ellie’s work—and her willingness to dress all kinds of bodies—I immediately told Michael she was my dream collaborator,” she tells Vogue. Dunham sent her stylist Michael Handler a slew of screenshots of Misner’s demi couture designs: Scarlet red second-skin corsetry, undulating skirts that contour and converge with the body’s natural curves.
“Neither of us could pick a favorite,” Handler says, “so we decided that we had to reach out to her, let her know what big fans of her work we are, and see if she would be willing to make something custom for Lena.”
Handler sent a heartfelt note on Dunham’s behalf, expressing her love of Misner’s distinctive designs, along with her favorite Misner pieces, and the specific details she loved most. From there, Misner created a sketch, and the look in question became the outfit for the London screening of Dunham’s forthcoming return to TV, rom-com Too Much.
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The cherry red dress features one draped shoulder on a strapless bodice, with draping that cascades over the hips into a train. The back is a tied corset with interweaving draping. It feels romantic, yet powerful and full of movement. Misner’s sensual signature look speaks in service to the contours of the body, using draping techniques to extend and celebrate curves.
“I noticed Lena liked the corseted pieces that had drape work on top, one of my signature methods—each piece is one-of-one,” says Misner. “This method helps me manipulate silhouette, adding volume to hips and accentuating a corseted waist. Originally, we were going to do a midi dress with a boned hoop, but switched to a full length to make it more red carpet-worthy. They really trusted me and let me do my own thing, so when it was finished, it was the first time they had seen what it would look like.”
Misner prioritized both Lena’s comfort and support in the dress, making an internal boned base, with a hand-sewn drape put on afterwards. “I knew she would be wearing the dress for a whole evening, and I didn’t want it to feel uncomfortable or constricted, regardless of the corsetry,” she explains. As the designer does with each custom piece, she built Dunham a mannequin to match her measurements and then worked directly off it as a body double.
“Together they made possible the most striking Botticelli fantasy; a little bit early Renaissance, a little Nigella Lawson—my curvy British icon,” says Dunham. “It embraces what I love about my body, drapes in inventive ways, and makes me feel both powerful and innocent. It’s such a gift to wear. Michael and Ellie are both so young and have such vision.”
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“Every piece from Ellie is truly one of a kind. Her dedication to individuality and creativity—paired with an unwavering commitment to size inclusivity—is what makes Ellie herself so unique,” says Handler.
Fitting, however, had to happen digitally—with a lot of yapping and quicktime getting to know each other. Misner FaceTimed Lena, Handler, and his team in New York when the dress got to them, and a week later for her digital fitting. The dress fit perfectly, and they decided to go bolder and make a long, detachable train. Handler called in dressmaker and couturier Joshua “Domino” Schwartz to source matching fabric and build the train in New York, under Misner’s guidance and direction. “It’s something that gave her that red carpet ‘wow’ moment,” says Handler.
The Too Much creator, writer, and executive producer joined her husband and collaborator Luis Felber on the red carpet at the Barbican Centre in London, alongside their castmembers including Megan Stalter, Will Sharpe, Adwoa Aboah, Andrew Scott, Rita Wilson, Janicza Bravo, and Adèle Exarchopoulos.
“Lena hasn’t done a red carpet for one of her own projects in a while, so I wanted to make sure her look was just as special as she is,” he adds. Handler—who has previously worked with Beyoncé—sought out some matching silk heels, big diamonds, and even more maximal silver jewelry. “Non-negotiables with this silhouette,” he says. Glam team also assembled, including Amanda Grossman on her makeup, and a waist-length, fishtail braid by Ken O’Rourke.
“With every single look, we encourage each other to think even more out of the box. To be even more creative. That is one of the biggest gifts and joys of working with Lena!” Handler adds.
Misner describes working with Lena and her team as “the greatest pleasure.” Now, the London designer is about to start prepping for her next demi couture collection, which will be shown in September. “It’s a really fun collection concept, but I don’t want to spoil the surprise, so stay tuned for Ellie Misner DC26 in September,” she says.
“I feel so lucky to work with people who trust me—and who I totally trust, too,” says Handler. “When you’ve got good people around you, the kind you love and believe in, really great things happen.” On this occasion Too Much is more Never Enough.
Too Much premieres on Netflix July 10
