(Left to Right:) Afwillite 8.45, dress fabric, designed by S. M. Slade, 1951, Great Britain. Museum no. CIRC.75C-1968; Textile design, designed by Jacqueline Groag, 1965, England. Museum no. E.645-1984; Brocade, about 1880, Varanasi. IS.788-1883. © Victoria & Albert Museum, London
Design your own patterns inspired by these fabrics.
Plan and draw your design
Think about how you could use the shapes and patterns you have collected, and draw your party outfit design. There are lots of fashion design drawings in the V&A collection . They might give you some ideas and tips for drawing your design.
We know that shoes are an important part of a party outfit, so make them magnificent!
Cut and fold a tailored coat from paper
Now that you have practiced your design skills, have a go at traditional tailoring.
Suits usually consist of a jacket or coat, and trousers or skirt. To make a suit, pieces of fabric have to be carefully cut and stitched together. Folds are made in the fabric and stitched to give the clothing shape and make sure it fits elegantly. These stitched folds are called darts. Can you find any darts on your clothes?
Have a go at cutting and folding. Make a tailored coat from paper inspired by the iconic Spanish fashion designer Cristóbal Balenciaga. He created a simple pattern that could be cut and folded from a rectangle of fabric so that no fabric is wasted.
