Architectural Origami: Creating Complex Forms Through Free Form PleatingFashion designers play with volume and structure to create interesting silhouettes. Sculptural and origami style garments have become increasingly popular. Achieving these forms with a �at textile can be complicated and may require extensive pat-terning or understructures. An alternative way to create voluminous forms is through fabric manipulation, such as the pleating. This research explores how to e�ciently create an apparently complex structure by investigating types of seams, fabric choice, panel placement, and folding techniques.

Lela ThompsonProfessor Genevieve DionDrexel University

Thermoplastic Fibers

A traditional origami heat press technique of sandwiching the fabric in between 2 sheets of folded paper that can fold flat

A chevron pattern can be quickly im-printed into a fabric by wrapping pleats around a heated rod. I decided to test this method with a curling iron.

This technique worked to an extent, but scale, e�ciency, and control had to be considered to apply it to a full garment.

Undisturbed, the curling iron samples re-mained in their spiral. When held slightly open they created a unique twisting e�ect.

After heat pressing one of the curled sampes to try and de�ne a crisper pat-tern, it became clear the same e�ect could be acheived simply with folds.

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

A polyester organza sample: pleated and curled with the smaller curling iron

Inspiration

Ilja Visse 2014 Issey Miyake

Designers like Issey Miyake are famous for creating sculptural garments by pleat-ing thermoplastic fabric.

Many garment designs using orgami folding as inspiration require extensive fabrications

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.

Exploration

ChallengeAfter testing traditional ori-gami folds on polyester or-ganza 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.

Heat SettingPolyester Organza was sandwiched between two sheets of uniformly folded paper and heat pressed to create con-sistent, �at 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

The pleated organza was wrapped in aluminum foil and folded at an angle in a rotating manner and heat set again.

Result, slightly openedUnwrapping the Heat Set Panel

ConstructionMultiple 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:

Direction and placement of the pleats

Placement of the seams

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.

French seams (a type of self encased seam) were used–allow-ing the seams to sit on the inside or outside of the garment. The placement of the seam in�uenced the direction the panels curved.

This is an initial test of seaming the pleated panels. The pleats clearly dictate the shape the fabric takes.

Result

References

Figure 1: Thermoplastic Fibers

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 O�cial Site. N.p., n.d. Web.