The Cendre Slip is cut on the bias. This is mentioned in the product description, but it is worth explaining in more detail because it is the single most important decision in how the slip was made. The bias cut is not a style choice. It is a structural one, and it changes how the fabric behaves against the body in ways that a straight-grain cut cannot replicate.
What the grain of a fabric is ¶
Woven fabric has two main directions: the warp (threads running lengthwise along the roll) and the weft (threads running across the roll). These two directions are called the grain. When a garment is cut on the straight grain, the fabric has very little stretch in either direction. When it is cut on the bias. At a 45-degree angle to both the warp and the weft. The fabric gains significant stretch and drape, because the weave structure can open and close slightly as the fabric moves.
Why bias-cut works for silk ¶
Silk is a smooth, relatively inelastic fibre. Cut on the straight grain, a silk slip would be stiff and would not conform to the body. It would hang away from the figure in a way that looks shapeless. Cut on the bias, the same fabric drapes over the body's curves and moves with the wearer rather than against them. This is why bias-cut silk slips became a defining garment of 1930s fashion and have remained a reference point for lingerie and eveningwear ever since. The technique requires more fabric. A bias-cut garment uses roughly 30% more material than the same garment cut on the straight grain. And more skill to sew, because bias-cut seams are prone to stretching during construction.
How we cut the Cendre Slip ¶
The Cendre Slip is cut in a single piece at the front and a single piece at the back, with side seams only. There is no centre seam at the front or back, which means the bias runs uninterrupted across the widest part of the garment. The fabric is pre-washed three times before cutting to remove any residual shrinkage, and then left to relax for 24 hours before the pattern is laid. Bias-cut fabric that is cut under tension will relax after sewing and the seams will pucker. The 24-hour rest prevents this.
The hem and why it is hand-rolled ¶
The hem of the Cendre Slip is hand-rolled and stitched, not serged or turned and topstitched. A serged hem on a bias-cut garment creates a visible ridge that breaks the drape of the fabric. A turned hem adds weight unevenly around the bias, which causes the hem to dip at the sides. A hand-rolled hem adds almost no weight and lies flat against the fabric, allowing the bias to continue to the very edge of the garment. It takes approximately 45 minutes per slip to complete the hem by hand.
The Cendre Slip is available in two colourways: Cendre and Ivoire. If you want to feel the fabric and see how the bias drape works in person, we have samples at the atelier. Book a fitting appointment to arrange a visit.