Wedding Dress Inspiration- Madeleine Vionnet
Madeleine Vionnet was a French fashion designer that opened her couture house in 1912. Uninterested in corsetry and garments that manipulate body shape, Vionnet was well known in the 1930s for pioneering the bias cut dress that wraps around the wearer’s body to show her natural form.
Bias cut garment involves a pattern cutting technique where, instead of cutting the patterns with the grainline, the patterns are placed diagonally on the fabric before cutting, which allows the pieces to stretch so it can contour the body.
Inspired by Greek art, the French maverick would often use slinky, lightweight fabrics like crepe de chine, garbadine and light satin in her work. The designer would buy extra metres of these fabrics so she could drape it directly on the model to make pleated shapes similar to garments of the Greek goddesses.
Vionnet’s bias cut dresses were very popular in the 1930s and beyond for its streamlined silhouette as well as its easy-to-wear feel, perfect for a modern day woman. Hollywood film stars of the decade would wear these figure hugging gowns in both on and off screens; making likes of Greta Garbo and Marlene Dietrich iconic.
Vionnet’s innovation has inspired many fashion designers including John Galliano and Azzedine Alaïa as well as bridalwear designers. It is no wonder that brides today want to walk down the isle looking like a glamorous Hollywood starlet; and these body skimming dresses are excellent for making heads turn. Nervous about wearing a clingy gown? Try a design with pleats that flatters the figure, like this Marla number below, plus, pleated dresses are perfect for brides that want the Grecian Goddess vibe.
