Architectural Origami:
Creating Complex Forms Through Free Form Pleating
Lela Thompson
Professor Genevieve Dion
Drexel University
Fashion designers play with volume and structure to create interesting silhouettes. Sculptural and origami style garments have become increasingly popular. Achieving these forms with a flat textile can be complicated and may require extensive patterning or understructures. An alternative way to create voluminous forms is through fabric manipulation, such as the pleating. This research explores how to efficiently create an apparently complex structure by investigating types of seams, fabric
choice, panel placement, and folding techniques.
Exploration
Inspiration
Construction
Multiple panels of the same size were created and arranged
on the form. To create the architectural shape of the garment
the following factors were considered:
A chevron pattern can be quickly imprinted into a fabric by wrapping pleats
around a heated rod. I decided to test this
method with a curling iron.
Designers like Issey Miyake
are famous for creating
sculptural garments by pleating thermoplastic fabric.
Many garment designs using
orgami folding as inspiration
require extensive fabrications
Direction and placement of the pleats
Placement of the seams
This technique worked to an extent, but
scale, efficiency, and control had to be
considered to apply it to a full garment.
Issey Miyake
Ilja Visse 2014
Initial testing using curling iron and nylon
tricot (not as effective as the organza)
Different diameter and strength curling
irons were tested, as well as different
fabrics and pleating techniques
Thermoplastic Fibers
Thermoplastic Fibers melt when they are heated, and so can be
permanently pleated. This project uses Polyester (Polyethylene
terephthalate) because the fiber molecules are linked by weak
secondary bonds that slide and reform with some heat.
Undisturbed, the curling iron samples remained in their spiral. When held slightly
open they created a unique twisting
effect.
After heat pressing one of the curled
sampes to try and define a crisper pattern, it became clear the same effect
could be acheived simply with folds.
A polyester organza sample: pleated and curled with the smaller curling iron
Stitching perpendicular to the pleats creates a gradient of
density in the sample by opening the folds at the edge.
Stitching a pleated edge to an unpleated edge creates a
curve in the fabric.
This is an initial test of seaming
the pleated panels. The pleats
clearly dictate the shape the fabric
takes.
French seams (a type of self encased seam) were used–allowing the seams to sit on the inside or outside of the garment.
The placement of the seam influenced the direction the
panels curved.
Result
Heat Setting
Polyester Organza was sandwiched between two sheets
of uniformly folded paper and heat pressed to create consistent, flat pleats.
The pleats are then folded to imitate the spiral shape that
was made with the curling iron. The result is a “twisting
pleat” that collapses onto itself. This technique is repeated
on many panels of the same size to create building blocks
for the garment construction.
19” x 19” Organza Panel before pleating
Figure 1: Thermoplastic Fibers
Challenge
A traditional origami heat press technique of sandwiching
the fabric in between 2 sheets of folded paper that can fold
flat
References
After testing traditional origami folds on polyester organza it was determined to
be inefficient to scale up.
Inspired by Issey Miyake, I
decided to investigate a
simpler pleat that could be
repeated and scaled to
create interesting forms.
Thermoplastic Polymers. Digital image. ITextiles. Kosa, n.d. Web
"Ilja Visser Couture Lente 2014." VOGUE Nederland. Vogue Netherland, n.d. Web.
"The Concepts and Work of Issey Miyake." ISSEY MIYAKE Official Site. N.p., n.d. Web.
The pleated organza was wrapped in aluminum foil and folded
at an angle in a rotating manner and heat set again.
Unwrapping the Heat Set Panel
Result, slightly opened