Fortuny Pleats

[HouseOfPhlegethon]

0e3c29702c3452099392ae2c4272af1e--burgundy-dress-passementerie.jpg

44bd166e4d3ec5237f332a4cff8e7d00.jpg

963802_view%2012_12.jpg

il_340x270_1684916780_tca0.jpg

IMG_4096.jpg

Love them or be indifferent... they are a fashion marvel.

[Cook.bot]

Love them or be indifferent... they are a fashion marvel.

They certainly are! I'd love to see the process that achieves those pleats.

[HouseOfPhlegethon]

They certainly are! I'd love to see the process that achieves those pleats.

Me too! I haven't dug around the internet much, to find more info on them, but I've been aware of them for decades. They do make a dress more form-fitting to the body. And they aren't stiff at all. I have a knock-off McFadden style dress that I should photograph, post here. I have never worn it - it's too small. I bought it more for it artistry, than function.

[Quarry]

Fabulous! High art. Makes a person want to touch it and marvel at how it plays with the light and responds to a breeze or gravity as the wearer moves. That orange one looks particular rich. Must be fun for designers to have this texture in their toolkit.
But then it hurts my head because I know there are mathematical explanations for the fold, and those formulae will always lie light years beyond my comprehension.

[cacio]

Very beautiful!

The king of pleats right now is the brand Issey Miyake. Not as dense as the marvels here. But as pointed out they are very well fitting, and look good even when one does not have a supermodel skinny body. The entry line of the house (called Pleats Please) isn't too expensive if bought on sale 50% off. They're rather sturdy and can be washed gently in cold water, but one has to avoid heat.

cacio

[HouseOfPhlegethon]

Ah, Issey! I remember when he first introduced his pleats.

I think the easiest pleats to maintain are the ones popularized in the Bohemian-style or ethnic Broomstick Skirt. I owned many such skirts, in the nineties, up to recent years.

[BoyChanel]

Absolutely stunning craftsmanship.

[HouseOfPhlegethon]

IMG_7847.jpg

Here is my vintage 80's dress. The pleats aren't as tight as Fortuny pleats. They are lovely, just the same.



Ooops! I'm sideways. I'll snap another pick.

- - - Updated - - -

IMG_7848.jpg

[Cook.bot]

A British blogger I sometimes read did a piece a while back on one of the last "artisanal" pleaters working in London. He does custom pleating by both hand and machine for fashion houses, and in more than just vertical configurations. The photos are pretty fascinating, as is the description of the process:

http://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/09/...iacou-pleater/

[HouseOfPhlegethon]

A British blogger I sometimes read did a piece a while back on one of the last "artisanal" pleaters working in London. He does custom pleating by both hand and machine for fashion houses, and in more than just vertical configurations. The photos are pretty fascinating, as is the description of the process:

http://spitalfieldslife.com/2018/09/...iacou-pleater/

Wow! Just wow! I hope he keeps pleating for the rest of his days. Thanx for the article!