Category "Draping"

Back to school sale image $55 off a yearly subscription

UoF’s Back to School Sale: Get Your Own Private Tutor

Think of us as every student’s best-kept secret: your own private fashion tutor, available on demand.

Our mission is your success. Whether you’re a student or teacher at a high school or college—anywhere in the world—and you need support with curriculum development, class projects, or building your portfolio, we’re here for YOU.

Our 13 Different Lesson Disciplines: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced

Access 550+ on-demand video tutorials across 13 fashion disciplines, all taught by experienced fashion professors and industry professionals:

Draping: daywear, athleisure, evening & bridal, swimwear, intimate apparel
Pattern Making: daywear, athleisure, evening & bridal, swimwear, intimate apparel
Sewing: machine & hand stitching, seam and hem finishes, zippers, couture techniques, tailoring, embroidery, leatherwork, and more
Fashion Drawing: figure drawing for men, women, and children; fabric rendering; design details; watercolor, pastels, and more
Knits: knitting, crocheting, and cut-and-sew knits
Menswear: measuring the male body and drafting bespoke patterns from measurements
CAD Art: Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, 3D design, AI fashion design, textile design
CAD Pattern Making: Tukatech pattern drafting and marker-making software
Accessories: handbags, small leather goods, shoe design
Product Development: starting a brand, adaptive fashion, tech design, flats, specs, tech packs, 3D design, AI fashion design
Childrenswear: global sizing and free kids’ pattern slopers for boys’ and girls’ wear
Fashion Business: start-up, retail, branding, fashion law, licensing, visual merchandising, and more
Lecture Series: adaptive design, costume history, sustainable design, color theory, trend forecasting, textiles, visual merchandising, and more

Special back-to-school offer

We typically run this promotion only once a year (during the holidays), but to help teachers and students get a head start, we’re offering $55 off our annual subscription:

Regular price: $220
Now: $165 with code TUTOR
Offer expires: October 1, 2026

Ready to elevate your fashion education? Use code TUTOR at checkout and start learning today.

If you are a school or group, we offer a free trial so that you can sample our content before taking advantage of our reduced rates for schools & groups.

Hurry, our offers expire October 1, 2026. Please note that the student discount promo code can only be used by teachers for their own personal use and not for use in the classroom. For our group subscription rates (5+ people) and to learn more about our free trials, scan the Group QR code above.

And just because we love every single fashionista out there, you don’t need to be a student or teacher to take advantage of our back to school promo, our sale is open to everyone!

University of Fashion Promo code - TUTOR. $55 off a yearly subscription Was $220 now $165. Off expires 10.1.2026

School’s back in session—and so are we!

Think of us as every student’s best-kept secret: your own private fashion tutor, available on demand.

What you get

Access 550+ on-demand video tutorials across 13 fashion disciplines, all taught by experienced fashion professors and industry professionals:

Draping: daywear, athleisure, evening & bridal, swimwear, intimate apparel
Pattern Making: daywear, athleisure, evening & bridal, swimwear, intimate apparel
Sewing: machine & hand stitching, seam and hem finishes, zippers, couture techniques, tailoring, embroidery, leatherwork, and more
Fashion Drawing: figure drawing for men, women, and children; fabric rendering; design details; watercolor, pastels, and more
Knits: knitting, crocheting, and cut-and-sew knits
Menswear: measuring the male body and drafting bespoke patterns from measurements
CAD Art: Illustrator, Photoshop, Procreate, 3D design, AI fashion design, textile design
CAD Pattern Making: Tukatech pattern drafting and marker-making software
Accessories: handbags, small leather goods, shoe design
Product Development: starting a brand, adaptive fashion, tech design, flats, specs, tech packs, 3D design, AI fashion design
Childrenswear: global sizing and free kids’ pattern slopers for boys’ and girls’ wear
Fashion Business: start-up, retail, branding, fashion law, licensing, visual merchandising, and more
Lecture Series: adaptive design, costume history, sustainable design, color theory, trend forecasting, textiles, visual merchandising, and more

Special back-to-school offer

We typically run this promotion only once a year (during the holidays), but to help teachers and students get a head start, we’re offering $55 off our annual subscription:

Regular price: $220
Now: $165 with code TUTOR
Offer expires: October 1, 2026

Ready to elevate your fashion education? Use code TUTOR at checkout and start learning today.

If you are a school or group, we offer a free trial so that you can sample our content before taking advantage of our reduced rates for schools & groups.

And just because we love every single fashionista out there, you don’t need to be a student or teacher to take advantage of our back to school promo, our sale is open to everyone!

What I Learned After 25+ Years as a Fashion College Professor — Part Two

This week’s blog continues my two-part series reflecting on what I learned over more than 25 years as a fashion college professor. My career included 17 years teaching at the Fashion Institute of Technology, followed by 3 years as Chair of the Fashion Design department, and later 6 years teaching graduate-level fashion design at the Academy of Art University. Throughout that time, I had a front-row seat to students’ journeys into the fashion industry, observing how they navigated everything from the application process to making the most of their education once accepted.

In Part One, I focused on helping prospective students understand how to choose and apply to fashion colleges. In Part Two, I shift my focus to fashion educators, offering insight into how they can support students in thriving and creating a meaningful, positive experience once they begin their studies.

Student Insecurities

I still vividly remember my own first day at FIT as a student. Sitting in a class of 200 students selected from a pool of 2,000 applicants, I felt both grateful and overwhelmed. Alongside the excitement came a wave of insecurity: Was I talented enough? Could I keep up with the workload? Had the school made a mistake in accepting me?

That uncertainty quickly eased thanks to my professor. She welcomed the class warmly, invited each of us to introduce ourselves and share where we came from, and immediately created a sense of belonging. She then reviewed the syllabus, emphasized the importance of deadlines, explained attendance and grading policies, and opened the floor for questions.

Throughout my years of teaching, I adopted this same approach. I found that students are far more likely to succeed when they clearly understand expectations from the outset. In later years, the department introduced a detailed grading rubric outlining the criteria for each grade level (A, A-, B, B-, C, C-, D, F). Students were asked to sign this document, which not only helped manage expectations but also supported faculty in addressing the challenges of grade inflation.

Access to Tutoring

University of Fashion — the perfect answer to the tutor and upskilling problem. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

As school budgets continue to tighten, many fashion programs have had to eliminate the free tutoring services they once provided. I remember during my time at FIT, top-performing students were hired to support peers who needed extra help managing the workload. Faculty also made themselves available before and after class to guide struggling students. However, union regulations requiring additional compensation for extra hours, combined with budget constraints, gradually brought these valuable support systems to an end. Today, many students are left to navigate these challenges on their own.

That gap is exactly what inspired the creation of University of Fashion. In 2008, I set out to support aspiring fashion students—first by helping them prepare for the fashion school application process, and then by building a comprehensive library of lessons taught by leading fashion college professors and industry professionals. The goal was not only to provide accessible tutoring for students, but also to empower educators.

University of Fashion gives teachers the tools to expand their curriculum and refine their skills without needing to return to school. With limited time and resources, many faculty members benefit from the flexibility of learning and teaching enhancement from home.

UoF Lesson Disciplines

UoF’s 13 different lesson disciplines. (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Today, University of Fashion offers over 550 lessons across 13 disciplines, including Draping, Sewing, Patternmaking, Accessories, Childrenswear, Menswear, Knits, Product Development, CAD Fashion Art, CAD Patternmaking, Fashion Business, and a wide range of Fashion Lectures covering topics such as A.I for Fashion Design, Costume History, Color Theory, Textile Design, Fabric Studies, Sustainable Design, and many more. We support hundreds of fashion students worldwide while also helping educators broaden their teaching scope.

Testimonials

Don’t just take our word for it—explore some of what our students and educators have to say.

Just a few of our many testimonials. (Image Credit: University of Fashion)

Complement not Replacement

It is important to note that University of Fashion was founded as a complement to, not a replacement for, fashion college education. Our mission was to inspire anyone interested in a career in the fashion industry and to preserve the art & craft of fashion for current and future generations. As we celebrate our 18^th anniversary, we are proud that we have succeeded in being the first and largest online fashion education resource, not only for aspiring designers, current fashion school students and teachers, but as a resource for anyone who is curious about a fashion career.

Meet Your New Best Friend: The Sloper

Francesca Sterlacci - May 2, 2026 - Draping, Pattern Making

University of Fashion’s Basic Bodice Sloper draping lesson (Image credit: Universityof Fashion.com)

Years of working in the fashion industry and teaching fashion design at some of the country’s top schools all comes down to one essential truth: everything begins with mastering slopers. So, what exactly is a sloper? Think of it as your foundational template—the starting point from which virtually any design can be created. Whether you call them slopers, blocks, or a moulage, these are the quiet workhorses of your design process—your very own team of foot soldiers.

The Fashion Designer’s Essential Toolkit

University of Fashion’s drafting slopers from measurements lessons: Basic Bodice and Basic Straight Sleeve (Image credit: UniversityofFashion.com)

University of Fashion’s drafting slopers from measurements lessons: Torso Sloper, Basic Straight Skirt Sloper and Basic Pant lesson (Image credit: UniversityofFashion.com)

A well-rounded sloper library typically includes these 5 pieces: a basic bodice, straight sleeve, basic straight skirt, torso sloper and pant sloper. Each one serves as a building block, ready to be transformed into endless design possibilities.

Drafting Slopers

From University of Fashion’s lesson on how to measure the female figure. (Image credit: UniversityofFashion.com)

If you plan to draft your slopers, accuracy is everything. It all starts with precise body measurements—and we’ve got you covered with our lesson, Measuring the Female Body, to help you get it just right.

Draping Slopers

University of Fashion’s lesson on how to choose a dress form, Introduction to Dress Forms (Image credit: Universityoffashion.com)

If you plan on draping your slopers, start by viewing our lesson, Introduction to Dress Forms, which will guide you in selecting the right form—where the key factor is simple: will your pins glide in smoothly or not?

Draping Basics: Muslin

University of Fashion’s lesson on how to choose the correct muslin for draping and then how to block, mark and press it. (Image credit: Universityoffashion.com)

Before you begin draping your slopers, be sure to watch our lesson, Draping Basics—Muslin, Blocking, Marking & Pressing. If you’re new to draping, we strongly recommend starting with muslin. In this lesson, you’ll learn about the different types of muslin and how to properly prepare your blocks, including cutting, blocking, marking, and pressing. We also cover the importance of fabric grain, so you can create balanced, professional-quality garments in all your designs.

The Big 3 — Draped Slopers

University of Fashion’s sloper draping lessons: Basic Bodice, Torso Sloper, Basic Straight Skirt Sloper. (Image credit: UniversityofFashion.com)

The slopers most commonly created through the draping process are the bodice, torso, and basic straight skirt. In contrast, sleeve and pant slopers are typically more efficient to develop using flat pattern drafting methods rather than draping.

From Foundation to Fabulous

In the end, slopers are less about rules and more about freedom — the freedom to create just about anything your imagination can conjure up. Once you’ve mastered them, you’re no longer guessing—you’re designing with intention, precision, and confidence. They give you the power to translate imagination into form, to experiment without losing control, and to build garments that truly fit and flatter. Invest the time in getting your slopers right, and they will quietly support every creative leap you make from that point forward.

Announcing Our Newest Lesson: Draping a Princess Panel Sundress with Handkerchief Hem

Francesca Sterlacci - March 20, 2026 - Draping, How It's Made, New Lessons

UoF’s newest advanced draping lesson: Draping a Princess Panel Sundress with Handkerchief Hem (Image credit: University of Fashion).

Get ready for some pint-sized fashion magic! Our newest lesson, “Draping a Princess Panel Sundress with Handkerchief Hem,” is full of surprises—starting with the fact that we’re working on a half-scale dress form. We’ll be turning our mini masterpiece into a lively black-and-white check fabric that practically screams “picnic chic.” Perfect for a sunny day—or just for showing off your draping skills.

Working Half Scale

Full scale and half scale dress forms. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

In this lesson, you’ll get acquainted with the delightful world of half-scale draping—meaning your dress form is literally half the size of the real deal. Think of it as your fashion lab’s fun-sized version: less fabric, faster results, and zero guilt about creative experiments gone wild.

Madeleine Vionnet draping on a half scale dress form. (Image credit: Sewing: Beginner Techniques, University of Fashion, Laurence King Publishing).

And you’ll be in good company! The legendary Madeleine Vionnet—queen of the bias cut and all things drape—was known to perfect her genius designs on half-scale forms before committing to the full-size masterpiece.

Princess Panel Sundress with Handkerchief Hem illustration (Image credit: Miguel Angel Reyes for University of Fashion).

Before you even touch a dress form, you’ve got to crack the designer’s code — that mysterious sketch full of promise and proportions. Think of it as fashion detective work: studying how wide the sweep should be, where those flirty handkerchief points should drop, and making sure the sundress doesn’t end up a sundisaster. All this sleuthing happens before a single piece of muslin meets the mannequin.

Style Taping Design Lines

Style-taping the dress’s style lines. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

Next up… style tape time! This is where you play fashion cartographer — mapping out the landscape of your design. You’ll mark out where those straps and that neckline will actually live (because guessing never ends well), pinpoint the princess seams like royal boundaries, and stake your claim at hip level. Only once your tape lines are perfect can the draping magic officially begin.

Front and back sundress: draped and notches marked on all pattern parts. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

Once the dress has been draped, marked, and trued, and key notches added to all the sundress parts and panels, it’s time to place it back on the dress form to check the fit, before cutting it out in the fabric of your choice. In this case we chose a black and white check.

Front & Back of Princess Panel Sundress with Handkerchief Hem. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

Now it’s showtime! As that checkered fabric comes to life on your half-scale form, you’ll see how every princess seam, playful hemline, and clever bias cut turns theory into pure design magic. By mastering draping at half scale, you’re not just saving fabric—you’re sharpening your creative instincts, building confidence, and learning to think like a true couturier. So, step back, admire your miniature masterpiece, and get ready to scale up your newfound skills to full-size glamour. After all, every great designer starts small—literally.

A Master Class in Measuring the Female Body

Francesca Sterlacci - March 7, 2026 - Bespoke Tailoring, Draping, fashion Terminology, Pattern Making, Tailoring

UoF’s lesson on measuring 104 points of the female body. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

One of the greatest challenges our students confess to is mastering the art (and science!) of measuring the female body. Take one wrong measurement, and it’s fashion’s version of a domino effect—suddenly your pattern fits like it was made for a completely different species. Accurate measuring isn’t just important; it’s the difference between runway-ready and “what on earth happened here?”

Measuring Points Diagrams

UoF’s measuring points diagrams. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

Our master class on how to measure an actual, living, breathing female body—the kind that moves, sighs, and occasionally checks her phone mid-measurement, comes with free downloadable diagrams to help with the process.

UoF’s measuring points diagrams. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

You’ll master the fine art of extracting every vital dimension needed for draping and pattern making (without losing your tape measure halfway through). No more guess work.

UoF’s measuring points diagrams. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

Along the way, we’ll decode all those fancy anatomical terms the fashion industry loves, such as, front neck base, bust arc, apex and bust span.

Measuring Points Chart

An example of UoF’s 7-page body measuring points chart — a color-coded companion to the diagrams. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

Think of our downloadable, color‑coded chart as the VIP pass to your measuring marathon, perfectly in step with the diagrams and packed with clear explanations for the placement of all 104 official points of measure. Yes, 104—because in fashion, precision is everything and your tape measure is basically training for its own endurance sport.

But There’s More

UoF’s Women’s Global Size Range Chart Sizes 2-18 and their European equivalents. (Image credit: University of Fashion).

Our Women’s Global Size Chart is the extra perk you didn’t know you needed. It not only breaks down points of measure for US sizes 2–18, but also gives you the European size equivalents, so your patterns can country-hop as effortlessly as your wardrobe.

Finale

By the time you are done with this lesson, you will not only speak the fluent geometry of the female form, you will move through spec sheets and tech packs with the quiet confidence of someone who knows exactly where every millimeter goes—and why it matters.

Happy National Book Lover’s Day – August 9th

Francesca Sterlacci - August 9, 2025 - Draping, Fashion Tips, Pattern Making, Sewing, University of Fashion Books

University of Fashion’s 3 book series – Beginner Techniques: Draping, Pattern Making & Sewing. Available on Amazon

Once upon a time, in a land filled with fabric scraps and tangled threads, National Book Lover’s Day arrived! All the books in the world gathered around, boasting about their genres—some had wizard duels, others had swoony billionaires. But in walked three proud volumes, Draping: Beginner Techniques, Pattern Making: Beginner Techniques and Sewing: Beginner Techniques from the University of Fashion. The other books raised their spines in curiosity. What could be so special about these—surely, sewing was just threading needles and hoping for the best? But the trio were ready to show their stuff.

These step-by-step guides give aspiring designers clear and concise draping, pattern making and sewing instruction. For established designers, these guides are a must-add to any resource library. Written by UoF F founder, Francesca Sterlacci, edited by two of UoF’s best instructors, Barbara Arata-Gavere and Barbara Seggio (also FIT professors) and published by Laurence King Publishing, each guide works in tandem with University of Fashion videos. Students, designers and home sewers keep these guides open on drafting tables, next to dress forms and alongside sewing machines for constant reference.

We make learning easy! Every step in pictures and words

Draping: Beginner Techniques

Our books cover our most popular beginner lessons. They faithfully depict what our instructors demonstrate in the videos on our website, set-by-step, so that you can create the exact same garments and projects by yourself. All of our books contain hundreds of pages of pictures and text. They are printed in an extra large formant and every page opens flat for easy viewing while you work. We make learning fashion design fun, affordable and easy.

Pattern Making: Beginner Techniques

Each book contain extras, like historical references and inspiring runway shots Every lesson contains a tools & supply list, applicable charts, diagrams and forms designed to assist with that lesson. Learning objectives and self evaluation checklists reinforce the learning process at the end of every chapter.

Sewing: Beginner Techniques

So, for National Book Lover’s Day, pick up a volume from University of Fashion’s surprisingly runway-worthy trio. Because nothing says “celebrating stories” like draping, patterning or sewing a happily ever after—one stylish page at a time!

Oh, be sure to check out Francesca’s other books:Historical Dictionary of the Fashion Industry, Second Edition, Roman & Littlefield Publishers

Leather Fashion Design, Laurence King Publishing

R.I.P. Big 4 Pattern Companies – Now What?

Francesca Sterlacci - July 19, 2025 - Current Topics in Fashion, Draping, Fashion Art, Fashion Education, Fashion History, Fashion School, Pattern Making, Sewing, Sustainability

The ‘Big 4’ pattern companies Vogue, Butterick, McCalls & Simplicity (New Look) were sold to a liquidator for $1 on May 30th, 2025.

Once upon a time, in the not-so-distant past, the whir of a sewing machine was as constant as the hum of a refrigerator. Spools of thread in every shade known to humankind overflowed from biscuit tins, and pattern envelopes multiplied in sideboard drawers like rabbits after a particularly romantic spring. Home sewing was not just a hobby—it was a way of life, a rite of passage.

Grade and high schoolers were taught sewing and, in many cases, budding designers dreamed of attending fashion school. Speaking for myself, I spent my senior year designing and sewing prom dresses for friends. These skills eventually led me to FIT and a 40-year career in the fashion industry.

Back then, sewing circles were the original social networks—no algorithm required. Scissors were passed, gossip was shared, and if you didn’t have a pincushion shaped like a tomato or a seam ripper, you weren’t cool.

Fast forward to May 30^th, 2025, when it was announced that the “Big 4” sewing pattern companies (Simplicity, Butterick, McCalls, and Vogue) were sold to a liquidator for $1. IG Design Group Americas, the parent company of these brands, was sold to Hilco Capital, a liquidation firm. The sale effectively means the brands are now under the control of a company that specializes in liquidating assets of struggling businesses. How did this happen?

Blame Fast Fashion: The Great Unraveling

And then, like a rogue snag in your favorite sweater, the era of home sewing began to unravel. Blame globalization, blame polyester, blame that little voice in your head that says, “Why sew when you can buy a new shirt for six bucks at the mall?” For Millennials and Gen Zers, patterns—with their mysterious markings and origami-like folding—became as intimidating as IKEA assembly instructions. The amount of fabric jargon alone could send even the bravest soul running for the nearest department store. Selvage, dart, gusset—are these sewing terms or ingredients for a medieval potion?

Suddenly, sewing a dress at home ceased to be thrifty. Instead, it began to look as practical as churning your own butter. Why spend hours cutting, pinning, and cursing at a wonky zipper, when you could simply click “add to cart” and have three trendy tops delivered by Friday?

But somewhere between the rise of fast fashion and the arrival of next-day delivery, we seem to have lost our stitch. Today, let us pour one out for the demise of home sewing—a craft that once stitched together families, wardrobes, and, occasionally, the very seams of society.

Pandemic sewing surge (Image credit: The Conversation.com)

A Renaissance: Sustainable & DIY Fashion Movements & Pandemic

The creation of organizations like the World Fair Trade Organization (1989) and the establishment of certifications such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) substantiated the push for accountability, fair wages, and sustainable materials in fashion, inspiring the DIY movement. Thanks to thrifting, recycling and upcycling, Instagram is awash with influencers who can conjure a dress from a vintage bedsheet, and hashtags like #MeMadeMay or #SewingCommunity still draw thousands of posts.

Lockdowns during the pandemic saw a spike in sales of sewing machines and supplies. Suddenly, everyone wanted to make masks, or perhaps finally hem those curtains purchased in a fit of optimism in 2012.

Kelly Kim of Cornell University (Image credit: HomeSewingCornell.com)

What We Lose When We Lose Home Sewing

There is something quietly radical about stitching your own clothes—a sense of agency, creativity, and connection to the past. Home sewing taught generations how to create, repair, and personalize. It was the original form of sustainable fashion, long before “upcycling” became a buzzword.

When we lose home sewing, we lose the tiny acts of rebellion that said, “I won’t settle for off-the-rack.” We surrender an opportunity to slow down, to make something beautiful, and to understand that perfection is overrated—that a crooked seam can be a thing of pride.

So, What’s Next? A Prediction

With the future of the Big 4 pattern companies in limbo, I predict that new business opportunities will open-up for independent pattern makers to market their own digital pattern designs to home sewers. Watch for them on Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and in trade mags like Threads.

Watch as affordable fashion education libraries, such as University of Fashion, with their beginner, intermediate and advanced on-demand lessons in design and manufacturing become even bigger, as the go-to resource for creatives to learn sewing and the 3D’s: draping, drafting and drawing.

So, here’s to the seamstresses and tailors who came before us, to the calluses on their fingers and the ingenuity in their designs. Here’s to the menders, the makers, the hemmers, and the dreamers. Home sewing may be on hiatus, but its spirit lives on—quietly, stubbornly, and sometimes, gloriously, in the oddest places. Like your great-aunt’s linen closet, or your own heart, whenever you sew on a stray button and save the day.

Long live the stitch, no matter how small.

Celebrating World Creativity & Innovation Day

Francesca Sterlacci - April 19, 2025 - 3D Design, 3D Fashion Design, AI Fashion, Current Topics in Fashion, Draping, Fashion Art, Fashion Education, Fashion Events, Fashion Innovation, Illustration, Pattern Making, Sewing, Sustainability, Technology, World Creativity & Innovation Day

The Origin Story of World Creativity and Innovation Day

World Creativity and Innovation Day is celebrated annually on April 21st. The origin of this day can be traced back to Canadian Marci Segal, a creativity and innovation consultant (since 1984) and the author of books such as Creativity and Personality Type: Tools for Understanding and Inspiring the Many Voices of Creativity and A Quick Guide to the Four Temperaments and Creativity: A Psychological Understanding of Creativity. Segal founded World Creativity and Innovation Day in 2001 with the intention of encouraging people to utilize their natural creative abilities to generate new ideas and ultimately make the world a better place. The date April 21st was chosen as it is the day that precedes Earth Day (April 22nd), emphasizing the crucial role of creativity in fostering a sustainable planet. Initially observed in various countries since 2002, World Creativity and Innovation Day gained official recognition from the United Nations in April 2017 with the first official UN celebration taking place on April 21, 2018.

Ways to Celebrate World Creativity & Innovation Day

Since the founding of University of Fashion in 2008, my mission has been both to preserve the art & craft of fashion design and to educate & inspire creativity. Now, with 550 video lessons to offer, from beginner to advanced in 13 different fashion disciplines, we are a one-stop shop for creativity. So, in honor of World Creativity & Innovation Day, if you are looking to learn something new or inspiration, we’ll help get you started. Here’s a little sample of some lessons that just might spark the inner artist or entrepreneur in you:

Learn Fashion Drawing, Illustrating & Mood Boarding

Learn how to draw & illustrate contemporary menswear (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Learn how to draw & illustrate womenswear (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Learn how to create an inspirational fabric mood board (Image credit: Lee So Hyun for University of Fashion)

Learn Womenswear & Menswear Pattern making

Learn how to draft cascading ruffles (Image credit: Prabal Gurung)

Learn how to use specialized menswear drafting tools to draft men’s clothing (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Learn how to drape a center front twist (Image credit: StellaMcCartney)

Learn How to Sew Various Types of Fabrics

Learn how to sew sheers & lace (Image credit: Zimmerman)

Learn how to create silk ribbon embroidery using a Tambour frame & hook (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Learn How to Design Using 3D & AI

image of a University of Fashion T-shirt created in Browzwear 3D software

Learn how to design using Browzwear & CLO 3D software (Image credit: University of Fashion)

Image of student creating AI fashion on a computer

Learn how to design fashion using AI software (Image credit: PixVerse for University of Fashion)

Shopping for a Dress Form? Before you waste your money, read this blog post & view our lesson

Francesca Sterlacci - April 12, 2025 - Draping, Fashion Education, Fashion Tips

View University of Fashion’s Introduction to Dress Forms lesson before purchasing a dress form.

Are you thinking of buying a dress form for yourself or as a gift for that fav fashionista in your life? Well, before you do, you must read this blog post and view our lesson.

Our lesson, Introduction to Dress Forms covers the entire gamut: from how they are made, their features, what to look for, and how to choose a dress form depending on its end use. For example, if your dress form will be used for draping, a papier-mache construction with padding is the best!

A ‘Direct Pinnable’ dress form is used for draping vs a ‘Partially Pinnable’ dress form is used for display purposes.

If your dress form is going to be used for draping, you need to know the difference between a ‘partially pinnable’ model and a ‘direct pinnable’ model, since pins will need to be inserted directly into the form and not at an angle.

Other important dress form characteristics to look for are whether the dress form is adjustable and has locking wheels. This will make it easier for you to raise and lower the form, roll it, and to lock it into place when draping.

Another set of features to look for are: adjustable shoulders so that you can remove the drape from the dress form easily, detachable shoulder caps, detachable arms and collapsible hips on a bifurcated pant form.

Some dress forms feature detachable, flexible arms.

Other features include detachable legs, calves and feet.

There are even dress forms specific to the maternity trade!

Certain types of dress forms are made for specific garment categories like sportswear, bridal and swimwear.

Our lesson covers the names of the various types of dress forms: full body, half body, full torso, lower torso, upper torso and slacks (bifurcated) form.

Dress forms are made to service the men’s, women’s and children’s fashion industry as well as the plus-size, swimwear and lingerie markets.

Our lesson also covers dress form terminology and how to identify center measuring points on a dress form.

Depending on your budget, there is definitely a dress form out there for you, just be sure to view our video before you purchase one. Alvanon, maker of AlvaForm, makes some of the best dress forms in the industry. Their forms are prominently featured in many of University of Fashion’s lessons.

Another top-notch dress form company is Stockman. Their forms have been are handcrafted in a workshop near Paris since 1867, and are used at the world’s couture houses, Dior, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Celine, Rabanne, Prada, Loro Piana and at many other top brands.

So, once you have viewed our Introduction to Dress Forms lesson and chosen your dress form wisely, we wish you many happy hours of creativity. Your dress form will bear the imprints of past creations, every pinhole and seam a testament to your relentless pursuit of perfection.

Happy Creating!

University of Fashion Blog

Category "Draping"

UoF’s Back to School Sale: Get Your Own Private Tutor

Our 13 Different Lesson Disciplines: Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced

Special back-to-school offer

What you get

Special back-to-school offer

What I Learned After 25+ Years as a Fashion College Professor — Part Two

Student Insecurities

Access to Tutoring

UoF Lesson Disciplines

Testimonials

Meet Your New Best Friend: The Sloper

The Fashion Designer’s Essential Toolkit

Drafting Slopers

Draping Slopers

Draping Basics: Muslin

The Big 3 — Draped Slopers

From Foundation to Fabulous

Announcing Our Newest Lesson: Draping a Princess Panel Sundress with Handkerchief Hem

A Master Class in Measuring the Female Body

Happy National Book Lover’s Day – August 9th

R.I.P. Big 4 Pattern Companies – Now What?

Blame Fast Fashion: The Great Unraveling

A Renaissance: Sustainable & DIY Fashion Movements & Pandemic

What We Lose When We Lose Home Sewing

So, What’s Next? A Prediction

Celebrating World Creativity & Innovation Day

Shopping for a Dress Form? Before you waste your money, read this blog post & view our lesson

Are you thinking of buying a dress form for yourself or as a gift for that fav fashionista in your life? Well, before you do, you must read this blog post and view our lesson.

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