TECHNIQUE
42. Cut, Drape, and Fold
Close examination of how fabric is manipulated
by cutting, draping, and folding allo ws the
designer to build subtle and dynamic elements
into a design. Developing alternative cutting
strategies, wrapping the figure in soft folds,
or designing systems of pleats, permits the
designer to transform any silhouette.
The role of the cutter in a design room seems
simple enough-cut the pieces-but it is a job
that demands great precision and attention to
detail. How the garment is cut especially when
using patterned fabrics like stripes, checks,
and plaids can result in different appearances.
Pieces can be cut on different grains or the bias
for effect.
There is a sensuality involved in draping fabric
on and around the body. The sari (or saree) is
an ideal example of a garment that uses artful
draping. It is a length of fabric, approximately
5 to 10 yards (4.6 to 9.1 m) in length, usually
featuring an ornamental border. It is not cut or
sewn in any way. The contemporary sari is worn
over a choli (sari blouse) and a petticoat. It can
be draped in a variety of ways, but the Nivi style
is the most popular.
Scottish tartans were originally draped in a
fashion similar to the sari, called the Great Kilt
giving a soft toga-like appearance. The kilt has
evolved over time to take on a more tailored
look, featuring precisely measured and perfectly
pressed knife or box pleats. The modern kilt uses
6 to 8 yards (5.5 to 7.3 m) of fabric and can be
pleated to set, which although pleated, visually
maintains the tartan repeat. A kilt can also be
pleated to stripe, a method associated with kilts
for the military. A proper tartan is made of wool
twill and must be identical in both directions of
the warp and weft of the fabric. Methods that
require an adherence to the kind of rigid rules
involved in kilt-making cultivate a beauty only
mathematics can provide.
90 Fashion Design Essentials
Kilt by Hector Russell,
Edinburgh, Scotland
Straight-grain top
Straight-grain swatch
Bias top
Bias swatch
Cross-grain top
Cross-grain swatch
