This book seeks to reintroduce into the fashion scene techniques that have been lost to the modern dress designer pattern cutter. Today, drafting techniques with their inherent quasi-scientific theories are over-emphasized and the basic premise that clothes have to relate to the intrinsic qualities and properties of the fabrics used and the shape and stance of the figure are easily lost. The styles selected for this book are good examples of the principles that go to make the skill of modelling into a successful pattern-cutting ability. This book is divided into three broad sections. The first section deals with the modelling techniques for 14 dress, skirt and trouser styles. These garments have been selected for their silhouettes. Section one contains garments that are developed from lengths of fabric in the time-honoured manner. Section two illustrates three wedding dresses and discusses the fabrics and embellishments that went into their creation. This section also illustrates the cutting of veils and trains. Section three describes and illustrates skills that are needed to cut a whole range of garment styles and reveals the techniques of modelling some of Lily Silberberg's favourite designs.
Part 1 Styles: principles of toile evaluation; fabrics for toile making;
styles - the puff ball, the souffle skirt, the onion or windswept look,
ethnic trousers, the great knot, one-piece side-draped skirt, wrapover
bias-cut dress with front drapett, the Cleopatra drape, dress with
handkerchief hem, asymmetrical dress with dropped waistline and circular cut
skirt with uneven hem, the threaded drape skirt, four-panelled double-circle
skirt with yoke, the cha cha frill principle. Part 2 Bridal wear: styles -
the soufle made in raw silk, the big bow made in dupion silk, champagne made
in paper taffeta; fabrics and combinations of texture; bridal trains; surface
decoration; veils. Part 3 Basic skills of modelling: the dress stand and
modelling the toile; toile evaluation; the principles of dart manipulation;
the full circle skirt; the sheath dress; the principles of circle cutting;
sleeves; collars; the simple cowl; strapless bodice; general size chart.
