Pleated linen
Pleated linen is a form of processing linen which results in a fabric which is heavily pleated and does not crease like normal linen fabric.
History[edit]
The earliest form of pleated linen dates from ancient Egypt and can be seen in a garment known as the Tarkhan dress, which is over 5000 years old and is believed to be one of the oldest dresses in existence.[1] Other examples of pleated linen from ancient history include pleated linen from the tomb of queen Neferu.[2] The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston has in its collection[3] four excellently preserved pleated linen dresses, all found in 1902-1903 by George A. Reisner at the cemetery of Naga ed-Deir in Egypt.[4] It is not known exactly how the Egyptians pleated linen, but the material may have been "folded, accordion style, then tied, and wetted."[5]
Modern use[edit]
In the 1950s the Irish fashion designer, Sybil Connolly, developed a method of hand-pleating linen with the handkerchief linen manufacturer Spence Bryson.[6] Handkerchief linen is a light form of linen, and this pleating process used 9 yards of the material to create 1 yard of pleated linen.[7] The pleating of the fabric meant that unlike other linen garments, ones made with pleated linen were uncrushable, could be packed without becoming creased and maintained their shape.[8][9] First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy selected a pleated linen creation by Sybil Connolly when she sat for an official Aaron Shikler White House portrait in 1970.[10] Sybil was reportedly very protective of her pleating method, saying it was a secret she would “carry to the grave.”[11]
Gallery[edit]
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A moss-green pleated linen evening dress with three-quarter length sleeves and a round high neckline. Designed by Sybil Connolly. -
Grey pleated dress designed by Sybil Connolly. -
Maquette for a pleated linen cream evening gown named 'First Love' by Sybil Connolly -
Pleated linen 'Heiress' dress 1957 by Sybil Connolly -
'Heiress' dress 1957 by Sybil Connolly - Ruffle detail -
Lavender evening gown in pleated linen with 3/4 length sleeves and a frilled neckline by Sybil Connolly
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "See the World's Oldest Dress". National Geographic. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on March 15, 2021. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Pleated linen of queen Neferu ca. 2051–2030 B.C." www.metmuseum.org. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Pleated linen dress". collections.mfa.org. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ Riefstahl, Elizabeth (1970). "A Note on Ancient Fashions: Four Early Egyptian Dresses in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston". Boston Museum Bulletin. 68 (354): 244–259. ISSN 0006-7997. JSTOR 4171540.
- ^ "Textiles". Royal Ontario Museum. Retrieved 2022-01-26.
- ^ "Pleats now and then". KDD & Co. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Modern Ireland in 100 Artworks: Irish Designer Sybil Connolly". Royal Irish Academy. 1 August 2015. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ Drohan, Freya. "Sybil Connolly". Women's Museum of Ireland. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ "Irish Fashion: Textile & Clothing - Second Skin". National Design & Craft Gallery. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
- ^ Tierney, Tom (1985). Great fashion designs of the fifties : paper dolls in full color : 30 haute couture costumes by Dior, Balenciaga and others. New York: Dover Publications. ISBN 0-486-24960-3. OCLC 17308697.
- ^ "Sybil Connolly". FIDM Museum. 2010-06-10. Retrieved 2022-01-26.