Pleat

A pleat is a construction detail in the form of a fold of fabric laid in and secured, which adds volume, movement and decorative rhythm to a piece. Pleats come in various types: knife (all facing one way), box (spreading apart), inverted (meeting), accordion (fine). They may be tacked at the top and free at the bottom or laid in along the whole length. Pleats allow the volume of fabric to be hidden, give freedom of movement and at the same time create a clean, graphic rhythm — recall the classic pleated skirt or the kilt. Historically pleats are one of the oldest ways of working with fabric. A pleat is a versatile construction detail, in which a laid-in fold of fabric combines function (volume, freedom of movement) with décor (rhythm, movement, graphic quality), lying at the foundation of countless silhouettes from strict pleats to full skirts.