Fashion Design

DFD/ADFD/PDFD 306

3rd Semester
DRAPING - I

Mr. Kapil Kelkar

Principal
SIDI
Raipur (C.G.), India
COURSE OBJECTIVES

• To make the students aware of various Draping techniques for the

designing. Make them learn theoretical and practical approach
towards draping.

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COURSE OUTCOMES

After learning this course, students will be able to create a design

based on certain draping and silhouettes.

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CONTENTS
Semester- 1st
Paper Code – DFD/ADFD/PDFD 306
ELEMENTS & PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN
S.No. Unit Name /Topic
Intro to draping, Draping of bodice, skirt, sleeve
1

2 Draping of torso, cowl, waist midriff, flared skirt

3 Draping of Princess bodice, bias halter, asymmetrical bodice, flared six gore skirt

4 Draping of peg skirt, asymmetrical skirt, under arm cowl, peplum, flounce, ruffles.

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REFERENCES/TEXT BOOKS
• The art of fashion draping by Amadon Crawford

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UNIT 1

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WHAT IS DRAPING? AN OVERVIEW AND HISTORY
Draping is the process of transforming a clothing design into a three-dimensional form. The art of draping
dates back to 3500 BCE, beginning with the Mesopotamians and Ancient Egyptians. Greek fashion followed
with the invention of draped silhouettes like the chiton, peplos, chlamys and himation. The Etruscans and
Ancient Romans invented the toga, a length of fabric that wraps and drapes around the body.

Throughout the ages, clothing was categorized as either “fitted” or “draped.” A “fitted” garment would be
sewn together and worn close to body, in contrast to a “draped” garment, such as a toga that doesn’t require
sewing. In today’s fashion world, both fitted and draped garments can be patterned using the draping process.

Draping has been the hallmark of several famous designers beginning with Madame Grès, known as the
“Queen of the Drape”. Her expertly draped and executed collection of Grecian-inspired silk jersey dresses
consumed over 70 yards of silk jersey each. Madame Grès and French-born, American designer Pauline Trigère,
were both known for draping their designs directly on live models instead of dress forms.

Madeleine Vionnet, in contrast, chose to initially test her designs on a miniature mannequin instead of on a full
size form. Vionnet’s claim to fame is her mastery of the “bias cut,” which resulted in the most sensual designs
that are still a source of inspiration to designers to this day.
Madame Gres Pauline Trigere
Madeleine Vionnet
What is Fashion Draping?

Fashion draping is an important part of fashion design. 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.

Fashion draping and fitting are usually done with muslin (an inexpensive, unbleached, loosely
woven cotton) to resolve any design and fitting issues of a garment before cutting the pattern in
real fabric. However, it is important to drape using a fabric that has similar drape characteristics
(the way it falls and folds) as the real fabric of the finished garment. Muslin comes in a variety of
weights, and inexpensive synthetic fabrics can also be used in fitting and draping for apparel
design.
WHY USE DRAPING?
• Designers love the art of draping because their designs come to life
as they manipulate the fabric on the dress form. Even though a
designer may start out with a design sketch, during the draping
process a new and more interesting design usually takes shape. This
is why draping is considered the more creative method of pattern
making.
• Unlike the 2-dimensional pattern making process, draping allows
the designer to get a “feel” for the fabric as the fabric is draped on
the form. Draping enables the designer to make better choices
when considering the suitability of a particular fabric to its design.
Different Types of Dress Forms and Their Use

• Dress forms are used by fashion institutions, sampling department in

a garment factory, in boutique houses, and by haute couture
designers. It looks like a simple tool. But dress forms are responsible
for the fit of the garment that you are wearing.

A dress form is a three-dimensional model of a torso or an entire body,

moulded to take the shape of the human body. It comes in different
sizes which often differ according to manufacturers. It is mostly used
for fitting clothing that is being designed or sewed. These are available
for male, female and kids dress forms.
Different Types of Dress Forms and Their Use

• Most often people get confused with the difference between dress
form and mannequins. The difference lies in the material with which
they are made. A dress form is usually constructed with a hard
interior covered by foam and fabric covering making it helpful for
pinning. Whereas a mannequin is made of hard material like
fiberglass, plastic or even metal, most often depicting an entire body.
Another difference is the postures between them. A dress form will
always have a straight pose as it needs to justify draping. Whereas a
mannequin can be of any desired position to complement the dress
as well as act as an aesthetic addition to a retail store.
 Different Types of Dress Forms
and Their Use

• Display Dress Form

These are the most basic of them
and are mostly used for displaying
garments and the creation of
photoshoot samples. It comes in
various sizes with no standard
measurements and is the cheapest
of them all. Its features include
adjustable hights and easy pinning.
Different Types of Dress Forms
and Their Use
• 2. Professional Dress Form
As the name suggests these are made for the sole
purpose of the fitting, draping, pinning, etc. these dress
forms are a must for sampling department, boutique
houses, etc. The sizing of these is very much defined
but can vary according to manufacturers. the difference
between this and the above will be the features and
longevity, as a result, these are priced much higher.
• These features include adjustable shoulder for easy put
on and removal of garments, wheel stand for easy
mobility, caged bottom to assist hemming. These also
come with adjustable or removable arms which can be
very much useful for the fitting of sleeved garments. It
is advised to undo the collapsing of the shoulder as
keeping it like that for a long time can damage the
hinges.
Different Types of Dress Forms
and Their Use

• 3. Bifurcated dress form

It is similar to that of the above,
with the only difference being
included legs for fittings of shorts
and pants. Also, these are costlier
than the above.
 Different Types of Dress Forms
and
• 4. AdjustableTheir
dress form Use
As the name suggests, in this dress form the
measurements can be changed according to various
sizes. These are very similar to that of display dress-
forms in size and functionality. The sizes can be
changed with the dials which are placed at critical
measuring points as in center back, center front, side
seam, neck. Also, they are height adjustable along the
waist. It must the checked that the expansion made
are uniform all-over otherwise fitting can get altered.
• The drawback of these is the lack of collapsible
shoulders and are not ideal for pining or draping. The
reason being that as the dress-form expands, it
creates gaps along various critical seam lines like the
center front, side seams, waist, and other marking
points. Also, these dress-forms loses the advantage of
customization due to the ridges formed during
expansion. These are mostly light-weighted with a
hollow interior and are fragile in use.
How to use dress-forms
• Most of the dress form comes with the pre-determined
making of the various levels on which major measurements
are taken. Below are the four major levels of marking.

Bust level- It is placed over the apex point which is the

highest point of the bust.
• Underbust line- It is placed a few inches below the actual
under bust to compensate for the shape of the bust.
• Waistline- It is the narrowest part of the form and it
differentiates the lower body from that of the upper.
Comparing to an actual figure it is at the point where the
belly button is.
• Hipline- It is the widest part of the bottom area.
•
These are the basic markings of a form, but in absence of
the marks, one can pin ribbon tape over that point around
the form. But it should be taken care that the ribbons are
straight and parallel to each other.
How to use dress-forms

Even though dress forms available in the market are of various sizes but it is
hardly often that a person has the same size as that of the form. For that, it
is always advisable to pick a size that is smaller than his/her actual size and
pad around the critical place to make it even. Thus, the use of pads acts as a
little addition to forms to get that perfect shape. The critical points for the
addition of pads can be bust, waist, side seam, hip, center back and it should
be taken care that the pads are attached or pinned equally all over the form.

Dress forms are a very costly tool and prices vary with the manufacturer,
materials, types, etc. Also, they come in the form of fully pinnable and
partially pinnable which should be there in the manual of the dress form.
Draping -Draping Terms to Know
• Mannequin marking terms:
• SH-shoulder line
• NB-neck band
• Armhole/Armscye
• PL-princess line
• Apex/BP-bust point
• BL-bust line
• CF-center front
• SS-side seam
• WL-waistline
• HBL-Horizontal balance line
• Apex: the highest point of the bust and a reference point for establishing
the cross grain for the front bodice
• Center Front: vertical line that marks the middle front of the garment
• Center back: vertical line that marks the middle back of a garment
• Seam: two or more edges of fabric held together by stitches
• Bias: A diagonal line across the grain of the fabric to showcasing maximum
stretch
• Cross grain: section of fabric that runs perpendicular to the lengthwise
grain that runs from selvage to selvage
• Dart: a design feature that aids in fitting garments around and to curves
Prep Your Dress Form

• Mark all major points and seams to

create guidelines for your garment,
using the terminology we learned
earlier in the post as a guide, which
will keep your draping even.
Mimicking your desired design and
other seams using the bias tape will
provide a jump-start in bringing your
garment to life.
• Apply style tape to the
fullest point of the bust,
starting at the center front
to the side seam. Repeat
with the smallest part of the
waist and widest hip point.
• Along the backside, style
tape should be placed
horizontally at shoulder
blade level (this should be ¼
the distance between the
neckline and waistline)
reaching from CB to the
armhole ridge.
Preparatory process before draping -
• Preparation of Draping for Muslin Fabric:
The fabric you choose to drape with should be woven, not knit, and of
similar weight and drape as the actual fabric that you will be using to
build the costume. Most drapers use 100 percent cotton muslin (which is
why a fitting mock-up is often referred to as a “muslin”). In the traditional
garment industry. Muslin is the standard used for “toiles,”or fitting
prototypes. Muslin comes in a variety of weights, and inexpensive
synthetic fabrics can also be used in fitting and draping for apparel
design. There are four different types of muslin are used for draping.
• Standard muslin
• Cotton twill
• Cotton voile
• Silk/hemp muslin
• Tearing:
• Estimate the size of muslin needed, allowing a reasonable amount of extra
fabric for ease, seam allowances, and styling.
• Clip the edge of the muslin with scissors and tear across the grain with
sufficient pressure to break the yarns evenly.
• The true crosswise grain or the true lengthwise grain should from the edge
of muslin used for draping. Because the selvage is closely woven, it tends to
hold in the muslin and often will throw the weave off; therefore, the center
front and center back should be planned at least 3” from the selvage.
• Blocking:
Before draping, muslin may have to be re-shaped so that yarns of the
crosswise and lengthwise grains are at perfect right angels to each other. To
re-shaped muslin, pull the edges diagonally until the fabric is squared.
• Pressing:
• Once the fabric has been blocked, set the position of the yarns with the steam and heat of
pressing.
• Press in the directions of the lengthwise and the crosswise grains. Never press on the bais.
• Apply steam followed by a dry iron.

• Seam allowances:
Seam allowances in apparel demand. Beginning students of draping are usually expected to
add 1” seam allowances on all straight seams, including side seams, waistline seams, and
under arm seams. All curved seams are planned with ½” seam allowances.
• When draping the fabrics on dress forms some important points should be consider.
• GSM of the Fabric (Weight)
• The bias, selvage of the fabric
• Pattern, texture and muslin mock-ups
• Darts, seam location, finishing
Draping Tools
• Draping Tools
Draping tools are necessary
to drape, measure, mark and
draft designs.
Draping Tools
• 1. Awl: It is a pointed metal instrument used for punching holes for belt
eyelets.
• 2. 1/8-inch Clear Plastic Ruler: It is a two-inch wide ruler divided into
1/8-inch grids.
• 3. French Curve Ruler: An irregular curve ruler used to shape and curve
edges of collars, necklines, crotch seams, armhole and hip curves.
• 4. Iron: A steam-and-dry iron is used to smoothen and flatten and aid in
blocking muslin.
• 5. L-Square: A metal or plastic ruler with two arms of different lengths
meeting at right angles.
• 6. Muslin: An inexpensive fabric, on which the grain and cross grain are
quite visible. Basically it is used to drape garments made of woven goods.
Draping Tools
• 7. Notcher: A punching tool used to mark the edge of a sloper or paper pattern.
• 8. Pencils: Pencils are used in developing muslin patterns.
• 9. Pin Cushion or Pin Dispenser: A sewing tool that keeps pins organized in a convenient place.
• 10. Scissors and Shears: Shears are usually four-to eight inches long and made of steel Bent-
handled shears are excellent for easy and straight cutting.
• 11. Style Tape: A narrow, woven tape that is used to define style lines on the dress form.
• 12. Straight Pins: Dressmaker pins with sharp tapering points that will not rust are used to
anchor muslin or fabric to the dress form while draping.
• 13. Tailor’s Chalk: A small piece of chalk, approximately 1 ‘/2” square, with two tapered edges.
It is used to mark lines temporarily on different points of garment and other alteration points.
• 14. Tracing Wheel: It is a sharp, spike edged circular wheel with a handle, particularly used to
transfer markings from the drape to the pattern paper.
• 15. Yardstick: A wooden or metal ruler one yard in length (36 inches) that is marked in inches
or metric terms, An aid for laying pattern pieces on the straight grain of the fabric or for
measuring hemlines.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Fashion Draping
Advantages:
• It helps in clear visualization of the garment. With the process of draping, fashion designers can
get a proper idea and visualize that how a dress is going to look at the end, even before starting
to cut, stitch and design the costume.
• The biggest advantage of draping is that it allows room for customization. A dress or a specific
garment can be made as per the concerned person measurements and requirements.
• It results in less wastage of the fabric wherein you can do try out before you actually cut the
fabric.
• The process of draping also allows you to make different paper patterns and designs which can
be used further for idealization of the next dress.
• It is a three dimensional method, the design can be visualized while draping and any necessary
changes or modifications can also be made.
• This helps the designer to achieve the difficult designs by draping different fabrics. For designs
like cowls this method can be used which gives good results.
• A designer can play with many designs and create new designs with the fabric falls to start an
apparel manufacturing process.
• It is a very useful as many variations in the design can be done easily and considered as time
saving method for a fashion designer.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Fashion Draping

Disadvantages:
• It is an expensive technique of garment construction and not so
popular in India.
• Draping requires more skill than required for drafting.
• In this process initially dresses are draped on dummy with a
cheaper quality fabric so sometimes the look of the final garment
cannot be assessed correctly by this method.
• As this process is more of a creative and artistic one, it requires
having more talent and fashion sense.
• For more complicated design, you have to have a general sense of
the shape before you start, in order to cut the right size of the
fabric.