The Language of Fashion Design

6968

drape

8

Fashion draping has two related meanings. Fore-

most, draping is known as the art and craft of

taking fabric onto the body or the dress form/

mannequin with scissors, pins, and pencil to cut,

secure, slash, and mark the fabric to create a

the language of fashion design

A straight-grain gown is

fitted clean with vertical

darts, while heavy cowls

and drapery build up

the shoulders in a fluid,

rounded form.

ZANG TOI,

FOR HOUSE OF TOI

New York, NY, USA

unique garment form. Collars, sleeves,

bodices, coats, or dresses can be draped

freehand on a three-dimensional form, in

muslin (which is inexpensive and easy to

mark), orin the actual fabric (more expen-

sive) to observe its behavior and observe its

straight grain’s orientation in relation to the

garment’s shape. During the draping process,

seams are shaped by hand, exerting control

over their quantity, angle, placement, and

line. Draping the garment, a designer makes

decisions working with the body’s shape, the

fabric’s behavior, and the grain line. Often a

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