A celluloid moment in 1955 remains, till date, the fan-pleated dress' biggest moment of glory. Then, a blushing Marilyn Monroe, fought the wind in what's now known as “that subway dress” in The Seven Year Itch . The fan pleat has never really gone out of style. Also known as accordion pleats, fan pleats have been a part of every girl's wardrobe at some point of time. (They've also remained quite popular in children's wear.) Ironically, except for that Marilyn moment, fan pleats have rarely been seen as very sensational or gasp-inducing; they're akin to shift dresses that way. But now, they might just make some noise.
The good thing is, fan pleats lend themselves beautifully to the below-the-knee, midi silhouette that is in vogue again. New York Fashion Week, which just unfolded, saw fan pleats hold sway in many a pretty show.
Nanette Lepore Spring/ Summer 2012 saw a whole line of fan-pleated dresses. With a neon palette that extended from the clothes to shoes and purses (and musicians performing live on stage), Lepore paired neon fan-pleated dresses with jackets, while lace fan-pleated frocks came with neon shifts as linings.
Milly by Michelle Smith, which showcased against a geometric illusion backdrop, saw geometric printed fan-pleated maxi dresses paired with the classic navy cardigan, while a demure canary yellow dress came with the now-in broad-striped, big-button cardigan.
A nice version, however, came from BCBG BY Max Azria, where floaty scarf dresses in fan pleats in combinations of cobalt blue and black, and lime, grey and brick make it hard to believe that they came from the same designer who sends out the Herve Leger bandage dresses at the same Week.
Christian Siriano's much-anticipated show reined in the colours of sunset and flooded the ramp with them, with beautiful fan pleats in all their fiery glory, while Carmen Marc Valvo turned to floor-length pleated pink lemonade dresses. Elie Tahari, using gold detailing on a neutral palette of beige, camel and black, presented a more grownup application of fan pleats.
Fan pleats are democratic, being one of the few design elements that haven't been absorbed by the confines of luxury. That they come on lampshades and home furnishings is sufficient, if not wholly appropriate, example.
