Draping for Display

When I was designing the 1919 dress, I explained the difference between draping to work up a pattern (which is what I've done before on live people) and draping merely to give the illusion of clothing in order to display fabric.  Today's post highlights the latter definition. 

I work at a fabric store, and one of my job duties is to drape displays to better sell fabrics.  I enjoy this part of my job very much! The task starts with picking some fabric or color scheme.  Then I cut yardage... there needs to be at least a yard, but often more, because when the display is dismantled, we need to be able to sell that yardage.  For a dress, I start with at least two yards, and can go up to three if the dress is long and detailed. 

The process of draping is fun and unexpected, and I'm usually delighted with what I made.  I only wish it were this fast and easy to make real clothes!  I'd wear all of these drapes if I could! 

MARLENE DIETRICH

Here's something Marlene Dietrich would wear... perhaps a Carole Lombard gown.  What I wanted to showcase with this fabric was that both sides of it are pretty: one side shinier than the other.  I draped most of the dress with the inside of the fabric (shiny) on display, but turned the side-peplum-thingy out to display the softer sheen of the right side.  The low back of the dress tumbles open to show the right side of the fabric, too.  When I first made it, I took a black feather boa and used it to accentuate the diagonal neckline... but apparently that made people want to buy the black boa (win!), so it keeps disappearing. 

POPPY PETAL WRAP

This printed polyester charmeuse was too wonderful not to display!  The dress is a simple wrap... starting at the back waist, coming up over one shoulder and diagonally across the front, around the back waist again, and in front to pin at the opposite hip.  I draped it over a paper crinoline made from the pleated paper that Fortuny fabric comes in, and pinned the excess fabric up under the paper to simulate a hem.  I was surprised at how easy and effective it was! 

Notice the fabrics on display around the dress form share the same color scheme? 

GETTING MARRIED ON THE TITANIC

The style of this one--fitted bodice, empire waist, layered skirt--should be familiar: I've made it for my sister and for my friend.  When draping on a dress form, it's pretty easy: cut a rectangle of fabric long enough to wrap around the widest part of the dress form (the bosom or hips).  Wrap it, pinning fish-eye darts under the bust and at the small of the back to fit it to the torso.  There won't be any ease in the skirt, which is fine because the dress form doesn't need to walk! Then pin the extra skirt layers on, then a ribbon for the belt.  A few embellishments, and it's done. 

In this case, the embellishments are lacy beaded tassels that I pinned in place in the shape of a V.  I put the bowl of those things nearby in hopes that people would buy them. 

The veil was super easy: a rectangle of tulle, pulled partway through an elastic band, and fastened on the top of the dress form.  The shorter end of tulle acts as a blusher veil. 

A PANEL PRINT

This one is the simplest of all: a one-yard panel print, simple wrapped around the body and pinned to conceal the selvedges.  Then an elastic belt and accessories. 

Panel prints can be hard to sell, because people don't know what they can do with a single rectangle of pre-printed fabric.  Hopefully this shows how easy it would be to make a sleeveless shirt or shift-dress out of it! 

LOVE THAT LINEN

Here's a linen ensemble.  I fussed with the shirt collar for ages.  Like many of my drapes so far, I failed to get sleeves.  I really need to cut more fabric for my tops and plan for sleeves from the start. 

I draped this dress form to showcase the splendid printed linen of the skirt.  Those mellow yellows, the paisley... I adore it! 

If the drapes do their job and sell out the featured fabric, it is time to drape anew! 

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Many thanks to my co-worker Michelle for taking the pictures in this post!