Tailoring.
Is making, repairing, or altering clothing professionally, especially in suits and men's clothing.
Example of tailoring in men's suit.
Deconstructing.
Deconstruction in terms of fashion has been described as garments that are unfinished, coming apart, recycled, transparent and grunge. Literallydismantling clothes in order to destroy fashion. The term deconstruction has been used to describe the rebellion against traditional forms in art. Elements of deconstruction include vintage linings sewn on the outside of clothes, exposed zippers and seams. Basically, the garments call attention to the mechanics of production, they strip away the aesthetic illusion associated with clothes to reveal the forms of construction that lay beneath.
Viktor and Rolf De-construct Fashion.
Draping.
Draping for fashion design is the process of positioning and pinning fabric on a dress form to develop the structure of a garment design. A garment can be draped using a design sketch as a basis, or a fashion designer can play with the way fabric falls to create new designs at the start of the apparel design process. After draping, the fabric is removed from the dress form and used to create the sewing pattern for the garment.
Viktor and Rolf. fall 2009.Draping.
Bias Cut.
The "bias-cut" is a technique used by designers for cutting clothing to utilize the greater stretch in the bias or diagonal direction of the fabric, thereby causing it to accentuate body lines and curves and drape softly. For example, a full-skirted dress cut on the bias will hang more gracefully or a narrow dress will cling to the figure.
Examples of Bias Cuts by designer Madeleine Vionnet who was known for her great skill in working with fabric on the bias.
Bias-cut dresses were worn for evening and formal occasions, and showed every curve, so girdles were used to slim down the hips.
Recycling.
Fashion designers are picking up on this eco-trend, taking a risk and taking vintage couture design to a higher level. They can take almost any material and make it into a high couture fashion piece.
South African designer Clive rundle taking the recycling approach to fashion during Sanlam Fashion Week.
Asymmetry.
Asymmetry in clothing can be understood as some sort of deformity that makes for a high fashion statement and that too without looking weird. Usually, the effect is created by incorporation of different cut, design as well as stitching techniques. Asymmetry can be created by stitching up pieces of cloth with some sort of inclining or sloping angle that dips at one side and rises at another. The asymmetry is also achieved by some deftly cut lines, at varying degrees at the hem, sleeves or neckline.
Jil Sander. Combining asymmetry and tailoring.
Mark Fast.
Padding.
thin cushioned material sometimes added to clothes. It is often done in an attempt to soften impacts on certain zones of the body or enhance appearance by 'improving' a physical feature.
Nina Donis using the art of padding in her garments.
Ruched.
Ruching means to gather, ruffle, or pleat, the term is a sewing technique in which fabric or ribbon is gathered in a pepeating pattern to form ruffles, scallops or petals. It consists of evenly folding, stitching and gathering a length of material until reaching the desired result.
Ruching in an Alexander McQueen dress.
Fraying.
Pulling a loose yarn from a woven fabric to create fraying which is a dishevelled look.
Example of fraying in a regular pair of denim jeans.
Pleating.
Parallel folds lifted from the surface of the fabric and laid down smoothly to the side. The folds, arranged in a systematic fashion, are secured with a stitching at the top and released below.
Knife Pleats.
Adjacent under folds turned turned in the same direction.
Example of narrow knife pleats.
Stella McCartney dress featuring knife pleats.
Box Pleat.
Adjacent under folds of equal depth turned in opposite directions. They are knife pleats back-to-back, and have a tendency to spring out from the waistline.
Example of simple box pleating in skirt.
Inverted Pleat.
Adjacent under folds of equal depth turned to meet in the corner.
Marc Jacobs Inverted Pleat skirt.
Partial Pleat.
Are flat pleats that open below the top of the fabric with under fold layering removed above the release points. There are two types of partial pleats:
Extension Pleats: Knife or box pleats formed by sewing specially designed pleat sections together; inverted pleats formed by sewing underlays between specially designed pleat sections. Above the release point, pleats folds continue as seams.
Set-In Pleats: Inserts of knife, box, or inverted pleats stitched inside a segment removed from the lower portion of the fabric.
Projecting Pleat.
Are folds lifted from the surface of the fabric and structured at the top, or head, into rolled arrangements that stand out from the fabric itself. Below the pleated, self-finished heading, the fabric falls in a deep, regular, rounded folds to the floating edge.
Lanvin Spring 2009 Projecting Pleat.
Accordion Pleat.
Accordion Pleating is a from of tight pleating which allows the garment to expand its shape when moving. Accordion pleationg is also use for some dress sleeves, such as pleating at the end of the elbow, with the fullness of the pleat gathered closely at the cuff. This form of pleating inspired the "skirt dancing" of Loie Fuller.
Donna Karen accordion pleated black top.
Wrinkled Pleat.
Irregular ridges and grooves set by bunching and scrunching damp fabric, securing it tightly, and letting it dry. There are two types of wrinkled pleating:
Broomstick Pleating: Damp fabric gathered up, rolled around a cylinder, and bound to hold until dry. When unwrapped, the wrinkle folds are one-directional.
Contortion Pleating: Damp fabric twisted into a rope, coiled, knotted, and dried in a microwave. When opened out, the wrinkle folds are multi-directional.
Vera Wang wrinkled dress.
Gathering.
Consists of small folds or puckers made by pulling tight a thread in a line of stitching, pulling the material together gives it volume. This creates ruffles. it is a great way to create volume in a dress or skirt, it is also commonly used as a cuff or collar.
Famous McQueen dress containing lots of gathering.
Gusset.
A triangular insert, for added strength or expansion. Inserted into a seam to add breadth or reduce stress from tight-fitting clothing.
Example of Gusset in top.
Godot.
A triangular piece of fabric usually set into the hem of a garment to add fullness. For example, a skirt to add flare.
Alexander McQueen print dress with structured godet skirt.
Mary Katrantzou's Godet hemmed skirt.
Gore.
A triangular or tapering piece of cloth forming a part of something, as in a skirt.
Susan Elias hand placed inserted lace bodice and full gored long skirt.
Tucking.
Is a type of fold formed by doubling fabric back upon itself and then pressing or stitching into shape, usually for decorative purposes.
Calvin Klein beaded pintuck dress.
Standard 4 Darts.
The standards four darts in fashion design gather fabric at the back of a top to tighten the fit.
Centre Front Darts.
Darts matching a center front seam are V-shaped and connect at the center seam.
French Darts.
French darts, are diagonal darts side seam darts that start a couple inches above the waist and end near the apex of the bust.
Valentino dress with French dart in bust.
Irregular Darts.
Appear in irregular places on the body creating various and irregular shapes.
Jil Sander by Raf Simons
Princess Seams.
A variation of darts, allowing the creation of a fitted garment through the use of shaped seams.
Popular technique with Zac Posen.
Boning.
The purpose of the boning of a material is to give it shape. Generally the cinching and shaping properties of boning puts strain onto the fabric from which corsets and other garments are made. The boning supports the desired shape and prevents wrinkling of the corset fabric.
Jean Paul Gaultier using boning in a different way.
Layering.
Layering allows for more creativity, and usually means less skin is on display. Plus, with the simple addition of another piece you can create an entirely different outfit.
Missoni perfecting the layered look.
Knotting.
Maya Hansen Knotted Collection
