How Elle Fanning Got Dressed in Catherine the Great's Coronation Gown, Pregnancy Corset and All

"Underneath the dress, there is a cage made of steel rings, so it's sort of buoyant. Then at the bottom of that they applied a very stiff, fibrous crinoline, so that the skirt didn't collapse in. On top of that we had petticoats, plus frilled hip pads to soften the overall look from underneath her rib cage. There were probably three days worth of pliqué work, which involved cutting off the golden embroidery and repurposing it onto the bodice layered with beadwork and lace. There's lots and lots of hand sewing involved. I think people probably assume it's done by machine, but it can't be."