Draping is the manipulation of fabric on a three dimensional form by a designer to

obtain perfect fit and harmony between the fabrics and design of the garment and the
silhouette of the individual.Draping is the molding of material around a dress stand or human
body for the purpose of designing a garment just like a sculptor Modeling allows the fashion
designer to work in three dimensions. There are several types of dress form on the market
but the most commonly used dress form is the muslin padded dress form, set on a movable
height adjustable stand, duplicates the human body shape. It is firm, yet resilient and does
not resist pins. The right and left sides are exactly alike

Draping is the process of transforming a clothing design into a three-dimensional form. The art of
draping dates back to 3500 BCE, beginning with the Mesopotamians and Ancient Egyptians. Greek
fashion followed with the invention of draped silhouettes like the chiton, peplos, chlamys and
himation. The Etruscans and Ancient Romans invented the toga, a length of fabric that wraps and
drapes around the body.

Throughout the ages, clothing was categorized as either fitted or draped. A fitted garment
would be sewn together and worn close to body, in contrast to a draped garment, such as a toga
that doesnt require sewing. In todays fashion world, both fitted and draped garments can be
patterned using the draping process.

Why use draping?

Designers love the art of draping because their designs come to life as they manipulate the
fabric on the dress form. Even though a designer may start out with a design sketch, during
the draping process a new and more interesting design usually takes shape. This is why
draping is considered the more creative method of pattern making.

Unlike the 2-dimensional pattern making process, draping allows the designer to get a feel
for the fabric as the fabric is draped on the form. Draping enables the designer to make better
choices when considering the suitability of a particular fabric to its design.

What is Fashion Draping?

Fashion draping is an important part of fashion design. Draping for fashion design is the
process of positioning and pinning fabric on a dress form to develop the structure of a
garment design. A garment can be draped using a design sketch as a basis, or a fashion
designer can play with the way fabric falls to create new designs at the start of the apparel
design process. After draping, the fabric is removed from the dress form and used to create
the sewing pattern for the garment.

Fashion draping and fitting are usually done with muslin (an inexpensive, unbleached,
loosely woven cotton) to resolve any design and fitting issues of a garment before cutting the
pattern in real fabric. However, it is important to drape using a fabric that has similar drape
characteristics (the way it falls and folds) as the real fabric of the finished garment. Muslin
comes in a variety of weights, and inexpensive synthetic fabrics can also be used in fitting
and draping for apparel design.
Fashion designers drape garments in sections i.e.: front bodice, back bodice, front skirt, back
skirt etc. and only the right side of the garment (when worn) is draped, unless the apparel
design is asymmetrical.

The general process for how to drape for fashion is as follows:

Pieces of muslin are cut and prepared. This includes measuring, tearing, blocking,
pressing, and marking grain lines and other important reference lines.

Now the actual draping begins. The fabric is pinned to the dress form and positioned to
form various darts, tucks, gathers, etc., which give shape and fit to the garment.

Once the desired design is achieved, the muslin is marked while still on the dress form to
indicate where the seam lines, darts, etc. are located on the fabric.

When marking is finished, the muslin is removed from the dress form and laid flat on a table
for truing. Truing is the process of using rulers and design curves to connect, smooth out
and finalize the markings.

Once truing is complete, seam lines are added and excess material is cut away.

The muslin is then pinned together (with all darts pinned) and placed back onto the dress
form to check for fit accuracy and to drape any additional parts of the garment

Once all pieces are the garment are draped, they are all pinned together and placed on the
dress form to check for fit accuracy.

When the apparel designer is satisfied with the look and fit of the pinned garment, the muslin
is removed from the dress form, pressed flat, and all seam lines, grain lines, markings,
notches, etc. are transferred to paper, creating the sewing pattern for the garment.

Draping is the oldest method of pattern making from the ancient time period. Draping means
to cover a fabric around the body of the wearer. It is the the second method of garment
construction. Draping is generally regarded as a creative approach. In this method a piece of
fabric is draped directly onto the dress form or figure and made fit on the dress form to
achieve the desired look or shape.

Many a times it is not possible for a designer to directly create a draft of a design when the
designer wants to see the look of a outfit on a dummy. Then there is the need of an art of
draping, in which one can directly drapes a fabric on a dress form. Its a technique used by
designers to create garments by draping fabric on dress from. A pattern is then cut from the
designers sample garment. The garment is made of unstitched cloth that is held to the body
by means of pins, fibulae, or clasps, sashes or belts tying, or frictional gravity alone. Many
draped garments are one piece. Even when there is a need to give some natural falls to the
garment according to the design through draping it is done.. Also there are so many arts of
draping includes, vertex and origami lets a designer to create something that is out of reach
from the mind of common people.