I remember the first time I saw pre-pleated fabric on bolts. I was in Algeciras across the bay from Gibraltar, living with a family there while attending school. We went fabric shopping and went into a fabric store that was made for film with shelves up to the ceiling overflowing with fabrics, a rail with a sliding ladder like in old book stores and that aura of having existed in one place for over a hundred years. The store was dim and the bright sun of the Costa del Sol was kept out by thick velvet curtains – guardians against fading and sun damage. My friend was making herself a skirt and we looked at dozens of shades of cream in fabrics with sharp, narrow pleats. I had never seen such variety and abundance in fabric choices nor had I ever been in such an atmospheric and magical store.  Back home, the fabric store was a back room at the florist shop and cream was cream was cream and the idea of a dozen shades of cream was unimaginable.  I think that store was where I caught the fashion bug.

Ivalde’s Neferia Abel probably has been to more fabric stores that have multiple shades of cream than those who offer only one – you can see that in the subtlety with which she approaches color in this dress, Benedicte.

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