Terms & glossary

French for 'workshop,' used in the fashion world to describe the studio space where a designer's garments are actually made, especially at couture houses.

A whitework embroidery technique featuring patterns of small cut-out holes stitched around their edges, often sold ready-made as a fabric or trim.

French for 'sewing' or 'dressmaking,' used in English to describe fine, skillfully constructed garment sewing in general.

A triangular piece of fabric inserted into a seam or hem to add extra flare and fullness to a skirt, dress, or sleeve.

A heavy, openwork lace in which the decorative motifs are held together by connecting threads rather than by a net background fabric.

French for 'high sewing,' a legally protected term for custom-fitted, largely hand-finished garments produced by an officially accredited Parisian fashion house.

A French draping technique of shaping fabric directly on a body or dress form to create a closely fitted base pattern from scratch.

The French term for elaborate trimmings such as decorative braid, tassels, and cord, used to embellish garments as well as upholstery and home decor.

French for 'ready to wear,' describing standard-sized clothing manufactured for general sale rather than garments custom fitted to one person.

French for a test garment sewn up in inexpensive fabric to check a design's fit before cutting into the final fabric; used more often outside the US than the equivalent term muslin.