PLEATING

Pleating produces great textures and is extremely easy to do. It is a type of fold that is formed by folding the fabric back on itself, giving a concertina effect. It is tremendously popular with fashion designers as there are so many effects that can be created with this technique. 

ALEXANDER MCQUEEN

These couture garments by Alexander McQueen are my favourite examples. The pleats are positioned in a variety of directions which flow upwards. The use of two toned style fabric, fading from dark to light, adds to the effect by adding dimension and depth. This has also been done by layering the pleats.

VIKTOR AND ROLF

Viktor and Rolf's use of pleating has created outstanding dramatic designs. Different sized pleats have been used using thick materials, which have created structured and bold garments. This has given a completely different effect to Alexander McQueen's designs which are free flowing and elegant

Pleating is not only used in high couture fashion, but also in high street stores.

TOPSHOP

Blue pleated shorts, £30 

ZARA

Pleated Bell Bottom Trousers, £39.99

These highstreet pleats are smaller and made for day to day wear. The use of smaller pleats gives a less flamboyant look to those above. I'm in love with Zara's pleated trousers. They look detailed and structured, yet light and flowy due to the sheer fabric, perfect for a hot summers day. 

I experimented with the technique of pleating and produced samples using a variety of fabrics. 

OWN SAMPLES

These are my first pleating samples made from organza and polyester fabric. I intend to develop further, by dying the fabric as well as experimenting with size. I will also use the style of Alexander McQueen's designs above as inspiration and will use layering and think about the positioning of the pleats to create interesting effects.

Visit TEXTURED again to see what developments have been made.

Joelle

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