My own attempt at pleating with muslin on a manikin bodice.

In the draping class that I attend, I tried my hand at pleating. It was an interesting experience to put it simple. I stuck with the basic accordion pleat style since it was my first time attempting such a task. Fanning the pleats out makes it look very artistic to say the least. It almost seems magical the way pleats can run in so many directions and versions.

Bauhaus/Geometric inspirational dress lay out.

I choose to go with the same color palette as in one of Piet Mondrian paintings. Blue and Red on a bright white background with black/noir lines bordering each section. I decided to use Kona cotton a mid-weight breathable cotton that holds it's form rather nicely. The front of the dress has a lot going on so to keep everything balanced I did not touch the back to much. A center back zipper and a 2" black band wrapping around the waist to look like a belt. This gives the back a little more to work with. All ideas were worked out on muslin first than cut into individual pieces and laid out on pattern paper to be traced with a 5/8" seam allowance.

Inspirational images for the geometric Bauhaus dress.

Below are several images that inspired and influenced the design of the geometric dress that I am currently working on in class. The crips sharp lines and geometric shapes fused with bold solid primary and a couple secondary color hues make for an eye popping attention grabbing appeal.

Issey Miyake Japanese pleat master.

Creation and Technology...
ISSEY MIYAKE INC.'s basic philosophy is the continuing focus on both the importance of imagination and the development of new technology in which to make clothing.
MIYAKE DESIGN STUDIO was created by Issey Miyake in 1970. In the next year, ISSEY MIYAKE INC. was founded as a subsidiary to plan and manufacture clothes and related products for domestic and international sales.
ISSEY MIYAKE has regularly participated in Paris Fashion Week since 1973. The design concept challenges the conventional idea of garment making and strives to highlight the relationship between body and cloth.
Issey Miyake is an internationally renowned designer. Inheriting his spirit of innovative product creation with the goal of enhancing people's daily lives, Miyake staff constantly search for ways to incorporate the joy of life into the company's creations.
ISSEY MIYAKE INC. values free thinking that is unconventional - thinking that takes into consideration the spirit of creation, curiosity and love as a universal expression.
SOURCE: www.issymiyake.com

Get a load of how amazing this mans work truly is. I mean it is like seeing fantasy join together with reality and give birth to perfection when it comes to using fabric for pleating a garment. I am in awe with every single design. The way his pleats flow like water trickling down a stream, but also create sharpness without all the jagged edges.