2025 Knit Dress

This dress was constructed primarily through draping, beginning with two identical fabric rectangles aligned to the mannequin’s center grain for balanced tension. The halter neckline and bust area were formed from folded pieces, with edges serged and turned inward for a clean finish. The lower front and back panels were pleated evenly and placed on the dress form. By stretching the fabric sideways, the pleats naturally stood up and, when lifted at the crotch, extended outward, emphasizing the hips. To preserve this effect, the pleats at the waist were sewn toward the skirt’s center, creating a smooth, curved silhouette that accentuated the waist-to-hip proportion. The same approach was used for the back. The halter and skirt were joined using binding and a serger, with the bust area secured using a blind hand stitch.
Model: Betty Dao
Photographer: myself