…………………..At the Dior exhibit there was one completely white room. The walls were divided in white cubicles, and the ceiling was mirrored so it just went on and on and on. You had to look closely to see where the exhibit ended and the mirrored ceiling started. In this cubicles were white toiles. A “TOILE” is the first trial garment made from a sketch. It is made in a muslin type fabric or a cotton. When the toile is fitted and completed, it is marked and made into a pattern. Then it is cut in the actual fabric and the sample is made. The center photo shows a toile of a jacket, and the embroider has been laid out on it. The one at the top right is a blouse and the bottom right is a jacket that I believe was a Ferre. The work involved is tremendous, and one can understand the amount of hours and days it takes to make just one garment. As a designer it was particularly fascinating!
This section of the exhibit must be the most fascinating. I am certainly no designer but did sew for many years and took tailoring classes. To see the progression of the construction of some of these incredible pieces has got to be amazing. I think I could spend hours in there.