Draping the Dior Bar Jacket 

This is the second in a series of classes leading students through the couture draping process for each of the iconic designs in the new Dutch book, Draping - The Art and Craftsmanship of Fashion Design. The first class focused on the Madeleine Vionnet garment and this one will focus on the Dior Jacket. The book features master drapers recreating in beautiful detail exactly how the most famous designs were done.

In this class we re-created the Dior New Look suit jacket -- PLUS, we applied Alan LeBlanc's wisdom of the Pli de Souplesse, a bit of French draping magic  that enables you to wear a fitted jacket, reach out the window to the mailbox and never have the jacket lift from the waist -- a mini-triumph of cutting.  This is the suit jacket that put the first women in the boardroom on the map! 

It was orignially called the Bar Jacket since it had been designed for women who knew their own minds and sipped champagne in the right bars at a time when that was not so proper.  For a great background article on it and John Galliano's commitment to the concept this year, see the October 2009 issue of Marie Claire.  Rumor has it that you wore nothing underneath since the jacket was structured to deliver all the shaping desired.

This draping series is a two day, 16 hour class using half scale forms which are provided that will focus upon a new designer piece each time. The class is limited to 12 participants and the next one will be in the fall featuring the Grecian Goddess gown by Madame Gres as done in the new draping book, Draping, the Art and Craftsmanship of Fashion Design.

PHOTOS FROM A RECENT CLASS