Crepe Fabric: 4 Crispy Details About It

By Anushka Batra

Crepe fabric has come a long way from being worn by women at times of mourning in western cultures to being an essential element in the fashion world. It is a thin fabric known for its crinkled surface, unique rippling and three-dimensional texture.

Traditionally, this material is made out of silk, but now a wide range of fabrics including cotton, rayon and chiffon are utilised to make it. Garments made out of this textile are crisp, delicate and used for ceremonial occasions.

This material has become so popular that other cultures around the world have incorporated its various types in their textile manufacturing.

Origin & history of crepe

Historically, crepe was known as ‘crespe’ or ‘crisp’, but there is no clear indication of the origin point of this fabric in the history of human civilisation. The reason for this is the simple manufacturing process of crepe, which made various cultures incorporate it at one stage of development or another.

In India, this fabric is readily used in traditional garments, whereas orthodox Greek women still wear crepe on occasions of mourning.

This material gained popularity outside of mourning attire during the 19th century in the West. A company called ‘Courtaulds’ completely dominated the crepe manufacturing market for several years. This company was also responsible for experimenting with different types of crepe weaves and materials and giving the public what they wanted.

Types of crepe fabric

This fabric has dozens of types, but here are the most popular kinds:

Aeroplane – This textile variant was trendy during the mid-19th century. It has a distinctive gauze-like texture. However, aeroplane crepe is not in production anymore, though many modern types of crepe still mimic attributes of this classic textile.

Bauté satin – This is a famous French fabric variety that is still used widely. It has a unique, intricate design because it incorporates warp-woven satin with a reverse plain crepe design.

Canton crepe – Originally, this type of material was produced exclusively in China. However, over the years, this beautiful fabric type spread all across Asia and is still seen in many Asian-inspired crepe garments.

Crepe Anglaise – This is a French term used for black-and-white English mourning crepe. It was almost used synonymously with the rural English lifestyle. The only true crepe Anglaise was last made in 1940 by Courtaulds.

Crepeline – This is another branded crepe type that was in heavy use during the 1800s. It is reputed for its incorporation of various modern textile production processes.

Crepon – This fabric type is considered a mainstay of the latter half of the 19th century. It is generally made of heavier fabric and is regarded as distinctive.

Plisse – This textile variant is chemically treated to result in a puckered texture. It is a popular type and is mainly used in making evening dresses.

Advantages of crepe

This fabric is in high demand all across the globe because of its unique look, comfort and lightweight feel. The best part about incorporating crepe in clothing is that it wraps easily and does not wrinkle at all.

It has an effortless fall, which makes it perfect for wearing on formal occasions. Moreover, it gives the wearer a thinning appearance, if that is what you are looking for.

Apart from formal occasions, you can wear crepe on a day-to-day basis because it requires little to no pressing and is soft and comfortable.

It is an absorbent fabric and hence is available in various dyed colours and printed designs. It can also be embroidered, decorated and woven with multiple patterns for an ethnic touch.

Variety & uses of crepe fabric

Crepe has always been considered a tremendous ethnic-fashion fabric, but only recently has it cemented its place in Indian fashion collections. This material is widely used in making stylish sarees, kurtas, anarkalis and salwar-kameez.

For winter wear, it’s preferable to opt for beautiful tunics or dresses made out of wool crepe. On the other hand, cotton crepe is ideal to be worn in summers.

For a formal or party-wear look, you can choose silk or French crepe fabric, as both have a lustrous sheen and are usually used to make lehenga-cholis and sarees. Satin crepe is also great for formal wear and is used for various ethnic wear.

Since crepe is not made in India, people often consider it a modern or western form of fashion. However, this is far from the truth, because Indian artisans have been adapting various excellent variations of it for centuries.

Your perfect look awaits you at YourLibaas. You can pick crepe sarees to salwar suits in bright and beautiful hues. Complete your look with a necklace set, beaded earrings and more.

About Anushka Batra

Anushka Batra is a recent graduate of Lady Shri Ram College, Delhi University. She completed her undergraduate education in B.A (Hons) Journalism. She is currently working at ‘Newzera’, a platform committed to inform, engage, entertain and inspire with quality content.

With experience in writing for radio stations like 92.7 BIG FM and top portals, Anushka has helped companies address prospects and customers for a new generation of marketing.

Anushka is devoted to helping companies tell their unique stories — not just selling their products, but engaging their audience by delivering content that solves problems.

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