This kimono-inspired dress is a contemporary, versatile, and very wearable design that will suit any shape. The faux-wrap front of the dress references the left-over-right rule of dressing kimono, while the folds of the sleeves are a nod to the Japanese art of paper folding, origami. The easy-to-follow, downloadable patterns cater for a range of skill levels and offers ideas for adapting and altering the design to make something truly individual. The instructions cater for UK sizes 10 – 24 and are available in both A4 and A0 page sizes.
The A4 page size can be easily printed at home and then assembled. If you'd rather work from a single pattern sheet, Monisola offers an A0 pattern printing service.
Having immersed herself in the fashion world for over three decades – as fashion writer, designer, lecturer, and most recently as a creative pattern cutter for Alexander McQueen – Monisola decided to concentrate on becoming an educator, setting up Pattern Cutting Deconstructed, so that she could share her wealth of creative knowledge and experience with a new audience. She has also worked with the V&A to deliver engaging pattern cutting workshops to students.
Each element of the kimono-inspired pattern has been tested by a pool of talented creatives – some who chose to closely follow the instructions, and some who have added their own unique twist! Take a look at some of the beautiful and varied designs created by our pattern testers:
If you've enjoyed creating your own kimono-inspired dress and want to try some more projects inspired by our collections, check out our other Make & do activities.
Discover more about Monisola's patterns and online workshops.
