Madeleine Vionnet did not invent the bias cut

Madeleine Vionnet did not invent the bias cut, she did something better. Cutting on the diagonal was already used for trims and collars, she was the one who cut a whole dress that way, so the fabric clung and flowed with the body instead of being pinned to it. It made her the quiet engineer of couture. Vogue called her, in 1925, the greatest geometrician among French couturiers. Dresses built like architecture.

The weekly

NewsletterWeekly One email a week. Every post from the week, and what didn't fit on a slide. Free. Never shared. Unsubscribe any time.

The post, as it ran

01MADELEINE VIONNET DID NOT INVENT THE BIAS CUT. SHE DID BETTER.

02CUTTING ON THE DIAGONAL WAS ALREADY USED FOR TRIMS AND COLLARS.

03SHE CUT A WHOLE DRESS THAT WAY, SO THE FABRIC CLUNG AND FLOWED WITH THE BODY INSTEAD OF BEING PINNED TO IT.

04VOGUE CALLED HER, IN 1925, THE GREATEST GEOMETRICIAN AMONG FRENCH COUTURIERS. DRESSES BUILT LIKE ARCHITECTURE.

Open on Instagram