How To Design A Chic Abaya? Inspiration: Fall 2024 Louis Vuitton Collection
Be it Artists or Designers,
They find comfort within discomfort.
They enjoy taking Risks, being Bold, and most importantly,
being Uniquely themselves.
So now that you have stumbled upon our little blog,
What do I promise to achieve in exchange for your precious time?
Easy, we’ll take something daunting due to a lack of information, and make it seem kinda… Achievable.
That is, we’ll try our level best to help you Plan, Visualize and Design an Abaya. Maybe even a Louis Vuitton inspired Abaya.
So here goes nothing…
As one of Dubai’s oldest fabric retailers (about 25 years now, give or take) our first edition today sews together A simple Black Abaya Design with elements from Louis Vuitton’s fall 2024 collection.
Louis Vuitton's Fall-Winter 2024 collection by Nicolas Ghesquière showcases an interplay between futurism and nostalgia, where we will be picking up on how she plays with celestial objects and their grand implications, expressed in simple and subtle manners.
The design I have focused on is aimed towards helping new designers try and achieve the basic steps such as:
1. Planning,
2. Sourcing tools and materials,
3. Cutting the fabric and stitching the pieces together.
4. Note: (The hardest step will be stitching the celestial motifs but we can go for fabric paints and iron-on motifs as well.)
I always suggest new designers have some extra fabric on hand as mistakes can be made and honestly, is something I encourage. (That’s where the real Gold Nuggets lie anyways.)
Please do stay curious throughout the process and play with the sheer overlay as you would like as well.
To start us off, I wish you all the best and hope you enjoy creating this piece, and the many that come after it.
Remember…
You got this.
The Steps
“If you aim at nothing, you will hit nothing.”
-Anonymous
The final design of the Sheer Overlay Abaya is inspired by high-fashion elements from the LV Fall 2024 collection. It incorporates celestial motifs on the sheer overlay for a contemporary, elegant look.
(I started with a sketch and played around with different AI models to help render the above image of our ideal Abaya design.
New tools = Better Visualization Models)
Step 1: Prepare Materials and Tools
Materials Needed:
- Black Crepe Fabric (3-4 meters) for the base.
- Sheer Organza Fabric (2 meters) for the overlay.
- Thread: Black and metallic (gold or silver) for embellishments.
- Fabric Paint: Metallic shades for celestial patterns.
- Optional: Iron-on motifs or stencils for celestial designs.
Tools Needed:
- Sewing machine.
- Fabric scissors and tailor’s chalk.
- Measuring tape and pins.
- Paintbrushes, embroidery hoop, or an iron (depending on your chosen technique).
Step 2: Cut the Black Crepe Fabric
1. Lay out the fabric flat on a workspace.
2. Mark a simple A-line pattern with chalk, ensuring it’s long and loose.
3. Cut along the chalk lines to create two identical panels for the front and back. Add a 1.5 cm seam allowance.
Step 3: Sew the Base Abaya
1. Align the two panels with their right sides facing inward.
2. Pin the shoulder and side seams, leaving openings for armholes and the neck.
3. Stitch the seams using a straight stitch. Backstitch at the start and end for durability.
4. Turn the fabric inside out and press the seams with an iron for a neat finish.
Step 4: Prepare the Sheer Overlay
1. Spread the organza fabric flat. Iron gently to remove wrinkles.
2. Use the base Abaya as a template to mark a slightly larger outline.
3. Cut the organza along the lines, leaving extra width for a flowing effect.
Step 5: Create Celestial Designs
Choose your preferred technique from the options below:
A. Fabric Paint Method (Beginner-Friendly):
1. Mark design placement with chalk.
2. Use stencils or freehand to paint celestial motifs (stars, moons, constellations).
3. Allow paint to dry completely and set with a low-heat iron.
B. Embroidery Method (Advanced Option):
1. Secure fabric in an embroidery hoop and trace the design.
2. Use straight stitches for lines, French knots for stars, and satin stitches for filled shapes.
3. Tie off the threads and trim excess.
C. Iron-On Motifs (Quick and Easy):
1. Cut celestial shapes from metallic vinyl or use pre-made motifs.
2. Arrange motifs on organza and press with a warm iron using parchment paper.
3. Let cool and peel off backing.
Step 6: Attach the Sheer Overlay
1. Drape the organza over the base Abaya, aligning the neckline and shoulders.
2. Pin and sew the overlay to the neckline and shoulder seams.
3. Hem the edges of the overlay for a clean finish.
Step 7: Finishing and Detailing
1. Inspect the Abaya for any loose threads or uneven stitches.
2. Enhance celestial motifs with subtle beadwork or additional embroidery if desired.
3. Press the entire Abaya lightly to set seams and embellishments.
4. Display the finished piece on a mannequin or hanger.
As we all know, the process is “slightly” more complicated than this.
However, the focus of this post is to show that we can try and blend new styles with our traditional values. And also aim to create a more intriguing and genuine expression of ourselves within our own cultures.
I would also recommend using Youtube videos to walk you through the steps of creating an Abaya, and I have attached a few for your reference below.
Youtube Guides (Linked):
Abaya Maxi Dress
Lastly,
Please enjoy the process and feel free to express your design progress and steps in the comments below.
Also, you could like and share the post if you find it has helped you start your journey towards designing your own Abaya, no pressure.
And we also thought we ought to mention we are here to stay, so see you for our next week’s edition.
Best,
The NPT….
Wait!
I almost forgot.
We at NPT try our best to assist our partners in every step of their journey, but unfortunately cannot go beyond the first 2 steps of Planning and Sourcing,
as the ability to execute the rest sits with you.
Having helped draft our Plan (Step-1),
You can now also click on the link below to get in touch with one of our team members to help you Source the needed fabric (Step-2) at a reasonable price from the comfort of your home.
Once again, thank you and all the best!
Regards,
Nancy
The NPT Design Team
