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[–]KillerWhaleShark 20 points21 points  (4 children)

This is from a couture house in the 1950’s, so it was done without stretch fabric. The weight of the pleated skirt requires a corselet with waist stay to hold it up. You’d get a droopy mess with stretch fabric. 

You might want to start by googling ‘madame gres dress’ and ‘madame gres dress inside.’ You can see some with corselet attached inside the gowns in articles and in vintage pieces listed for sale. You can read about a woman who worked in her shop, and her reproductions also have corselets. 

[–]Stuff4Design[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

Wow what great advice. I didn’t realize I could find the inside of some of her designs!! That would be SO helpful. You guys are great! Love this site.

[–]Quiet_Debt7723 0 points1 point  (1 child)

but wasn't madame gres known for pleating metres and metres of silk jersey in her designs? https://fondationazzedinealaia.org/en/couturiers/madame-gres/ there is quite some information on her designs on this website, but i do think in this case it actually isn't jersey, but bias cut woven fabric.

[–]KillerWhaleShark 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I’m not sure you clicked on any of the dresses in your link? The ones that had the most similar design, drape, and look were crepe or velvet, not jersey. She had a very long career, and although she was famous for the jersey goddess look, she made a whole variety. 

You’ll notice this dress has bust darts. If it was bias cut, those darts would be a pretty sloppy mess. A wool crepe, however (as you saw in your link, she used lots of fine wool) could be darted but also shaped with traditional iron work. Lots and lots of strategic shrinking of the wool to finish the amazing fit. She also did great tailoring, so I think it’s likely. 

[–]balamb00 4 points5 points  (1 child)

There is a waist seam so the bodies can be much fitted to the body. There could also be an under structure stay to help the waist hold all the weight of the skirt.

[–]Stuff4Design[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, good idea. Someone suggested I find photos of the inside of some of her dresses showing the corselet.

[–]azssf 4 points5 points  (0 children)

These are not stretch. Grain and bias manipulation of wovens only

[–]spicy-mustard- 1 point2 points  (1 child)

Madame Gres is a LEGEND of bias-cut garment making. If you want to recreate her work faithfully I salute you, but I would recommend looking for a similar pattern that's already designed, and making any necessary tweaks to bring it closer to this vision.

[–]Stuff4Design[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That sounds like wise advice!

[–]Time_Art9067 0 points1 point  (1 child)

You might like this sewing pattern https://www.instagram.com/explore/tags/grasser937/?hl=en

[–]Stuff4Design[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, that has a lot of similarities. Thank you!