Rodarte, SS13, New York.

Darts are a shaping device that will often be hidden away in a garment to try to make them inconspicuous, but they can also be used as a feature of the design. The Rodarte team have quite a knack for making the most of darts and have in the past used the dart value at the waist line in a number of different formations.

For their Spring-Summer 2013 collection the Mulleavy sisters used the dart value in a variety of ways including thick gathers and tucks which opened upwards towards the shoulders, accentuating a triangular silhouette. At times the darts were also extended out past the waist line. It is interesting to consider how designers use techniques such as this and picture them as actual patterns as this will help you to picture your own design ideas in more concrete forms.

Catwalk images from Vogue.co.uk» Technical images from The Cutting Class.