Pioneer of the bias cut, Madeleine Vionet, once said, '"When a woman smiles, her dress must also smile" . Translated I think madamoiselle may have meant,
a woman is happiest wearing her gown like a second skin. Long before the development of knits, the bias cut was used for body-hugging silhouettes like the Vionet original above. It all started back in the 1920s when the Parisian couturier developed a technique utilizing the true cross grain of fabric rather than straight grain lines of weft or warp of the fabric. Vionnet used fabrics like crêpe and charmeuse; These were novel to women's wear in the 1920s and 30s. She also ordered fabrics two yards wider than the 19-36"norm for the time so that she could work out draping and layout techniques. As a result gowns and dresses moved beautifully when cut on the bias. Vionnet's trademark: styles that cling to and move with the wearer. Examples: Bias cut gowns with cowl necklines, the handkerchief dress of the 1920s, and halter top. By 1930, Hollywood designers took advantage of Vionet's bias cut and made it into a real trend via moving pictures. Today the bias cut gown is a classic option for brides.
2 comments:
Wow, the original Vionet gown is stunning and sultry!
I of course have a weakness for the Pronovias house of designers (Elie Saab, Pronovias, Valentino) and they are splendid at draping.
These are all very beautiful, however what really caught my eye was the necklace in the Blumarine picture...!
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