Shelivesthedream:
You are getting lots of dress ideas - what business problems are you facing? I mean, what is your budget?
I really like your idea of starting small. You must sell for a profit, no matter how small, on each batch of dresses. You want to start a cashflow positive business. Sometimes you will hear people talking about getting investors or trying to build critical mass of customers as more important than "short term" profit or operating at a negative cash flow, 99% of the time these people are idiots masquerading as small business people. But, what is your budget to start?
While I'm at it, you really, really, really need to read a book called "The E-Myth." I think it gives really good practical ideas on starting a business but it also captures the idea of how your business can be a reflection of yourself and your values. When your business is a reflection of all that, and it is awesome, it is a great feeling.
On last thing, making one dress and selling it at a profit is being in business. Don't let big problems for "future you" stop you from making that first dress and selling it. For example, how to source consistent fabric for a thousand dresses is not your current problem. Also, to make your dream, perfect dress on your first try is not your current problem. Your problem today is how to make your first dress (which will get better and better as YOU get better and better) and how to sell that single dress.
As an example of "making the first dress," imagine your research the fabric find what you think is perfect, you order it and it comes back to you as shitty non-durable fabric. What are you going to do? First, you make your dress and sell it at a profit. You sell it for what it is - not what you wish it was. Second, you don't order that fabric for the next round. Third, you decide if the producer of the fabric is the problem or if you just made a poor choice based on lack of experience. Fourth, you take any and every lesson your first round of dress making provided and start your second round - with more experience. Rinse and repeat until you know who your favorite fabric provider is, your seamstress, your customer, etcetera. Think of each round as a trip around the block. By the time you've done 100 trips - you'll know exactly what the problems and opportunities are. This is growth and the process of growing is invigorating. If you do this then you can not fail.
You can do it :)