Costume Detectives - Cut and Bias

​Late in April members gathered at the Costessey Centre to take part in an exciting hands-on exploration of drape and flare in fashion, using vintage garments from the C&TA resource collection and dressmaking patterns from the 1930s. 

​The group, led by our knowledgeable archivist Isobel Auker, learnt about how designers such as Madeleine Vionnet pioneered bias construction, and were fortunate enough to be able to examine bias-cut and draped garments from our collection very closely, as well as some items brought in by members. 

There was lots of discussion about the technical detail of the way in which these were made, and then the attendees were able to apply their knowledge to constructing garments of their own, with friendly support and expert advice on hand!

Member Helen Durrant kindly sent the following reflections on the day: "A lot of work had gone into the preparation of the event and we were very well looked after by the helpers.  We were about 20 attendees. There were opportunities to follow any line of enquiry, from enjoying the talks, to tracing patterns, to construction, to making and experimenting. Lots of people were generous with their time and expertise and brought books and items to share.. One of the highlights for me was the opportunity to examine a member's mother's wedding dress which had been made in 1938  and altered and dyed in 1941 . The member  was Kathleen Boyland and her mother was Alice Marriot. The dress had a bias skirt and a couched cord yolk and was an orange silk fabric. It was wonderful to see the original dress in the wedding photograph and the now altered item. I came home with a “Madame Vionnet spiral flower, a pattern tracing, and whole folder of information. And a rather enigmatic quote from Madame Vionnet herself:  "When a woman smiles, her dress should also smile.”