Everything starts from a clash. Germaine Emilie Krebs wants to become a sculptor but her parents don’t. It is what inspired her technique and style, and why her dresses seem to be sculpted out of fabric.

In the 30’s, Madame Grès had the unique idea to use a silk jersey fabric to realise her very own pleat. The pleat is made directly on the dressmaker’s form and then sewed (credit donna). It consists in reducing a 9 feet panel to a 3 inches one by only making numerous tight pleats, which gives the pure yet very elaborated undulating drape of her Vestales’ dresses.
In 1984, she is obliged to sell her brand and her talent will secretly fade with her 9 years later.

All her life, this woman has created around her eponymous pleat. She is now acknowledged as a preeminent figure of fashion design and her timeless flair still inspires creators such as Rick Owens’ SS2011 collection.