Biased for Bodily Curves

Bias-cut is mainstream fashion vocabulary, but what does it really mean? For most clothes, the fabric is cut “on grain”, parallel with the vertical running fiber (known as the warp) and perpendicular to its horizontal running fiber (the weft). When clothes are cut “on bias”, the fabric grain lies at 45 degrees. The result wields a natural elasticity and drape that is impossible to achieve with straight-grain cutting. Bias-cut garments entered the fashion scene in the 1920s and ’30s when the female body in action began to be celebrated—think Charleston dances, tennis matches, and active socializing.

French couturier, Madeline Vionnet, is credited as the inventor of bias for her full-fledged use of the technique. Before her development, bias-cutting was predominantly used for collars and facings. She introduced chic, naturally body-hugging designs under her namesake label in the early 1920s and encouraged women to leave their cumbersome corsets at home. Vionnet’s bias-cut gowns appeared deceivingly simple, but their cut and construction were, in fact, masterfully complex. Other icons of the bias-cut include Madame Grés and John Galliano—the former another French couturier who, in the 1930s, captivated the world of high fashion with her complex drapery, recalling that of Ancient Greece. Galliano, a contemporary design legend and avid researcher, was a disciple of Madeline Vionnet, applying her technique to his famous silk satin slip dresses, the emblematic nightlife attire of the 1990s.

Bias-cut dresses and skirts continue to be a closet staple, especially for those special evening events. But they're just as versatile for everyday wear, layered with sweaters, slim pants, and beyond. Indulge in the comfortable and utterly sensual look—shop our favorites below.