Pleats for Spring
Are you looking for something elegant, feminine, timeless and fun for your wardrobe this Spring? A Pleated skirt definitely checks all of these boxes. I’m sharing the process of making this Gucci inspired pleated skirt, which was custom made in Melbourne.
A pleat is quite simply, a fold in fabric, a garment construction technique that has been around for decades. Pleats continue to be a trending motif in the fashion world. We see pleats in contemporary fashion to couture runway.
Styling
For street wear, I always go for the midi length or below-the-knee length pleated skirts, to create a feminine look. I love ones made from satin fabric as the glossy surface adds elegance for an evening semi-formal wear. I usually pair it with a camisole top in summer or a jumper in the colder seasons to create a chic, fun and feminine day time look.
Construction Process
This skirt I put together was custom pleated by the Specialty Pleater, the only pleating workshop left in Melbourne. A friend and I did a pleating workshop a few months ago, where the ‘pleater’/ workshop owner walked us through the pleating process, showed us a variety of sunray pleats moulds he had, and gave us a few tips on how we should prepare the fabric for pleating.
The pleating moulds are made of two pieces of thick cardboards, which are folded identically. The fabric is sandwiched between two cardboards, rolled up tight and steamed them under high temperature for a period of time. When it cools down, the fabric is set to the required folds permanently.
This particular sunray pleat pattern is called the Gucci Pleat. Here is the steps I took to get these skirt pleated and constructed:
Make a full skirt pattern
Buy the fabric. This green silk satin fabric is from Franke Stuart in Melbourne.
Tip: I was told that the pleat on polyester satin, which is usually a heavier fabric than silk satin, would last longer. If you are unsure if the fabric is appropriate for pleating, it’s worth checking with the pleater first.
Cut out the fabric as per pattern.
Tip: Allow about 5cm seam allowance at the side seams and waist seams
Hem it.
Tip: Just one fold up for the hem is sufficient.
Send it to the Specialty Pleaters, specifying the type of pleat pattern you’d like the fabric to be pleated
When you get it back from the Pleater, sew up the side seams and the waist band.
A tip to keep the pleat last longer is not to steam iron it. This post also features a corset top by me. That is all for this post loves. What do you think of pleated skirts? Do you have one?
