Padding is thin cushioned material sometimes added to clothes. It is often done in an attempt to soften impacts on certain zones of the body or enhance appearance by 'improving' a physical feature, often a sexually significant one.
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| Rei Kawakubo / Comme des Garçons, Spring/Summer (1997) |
I love this piece by Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garcons. Padding is utilized here to play with this idea of proportion and what contours the body, creating garments which often conceal the body or disfigure the contours of the body.
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| Junya Watanabe |
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| Rei kawakubo/Comme des Garcons |
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| Padding: Chanel S/S 2009 |
Some padding is added to emphasize particular physical features that are usually not present. Women, for instance, rarely have prominent shoulders, but for some years shoulder pads have been added to dresses, blouses and jackets. Emphasizing the shoulders was a fashion that peaked in the nineteen eighties, a time when women were still campaigning for gender equality. The effect was unnatural for women, but gave them a more masculine, confident outline, empowering women.
Shoulder pads at Balmain;
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| Autumn Winter 2009 |
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| Autumn Winter 2009 |
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| Autumn Winter 2011 |
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| Autumn Winter 2011 |
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| Autumn Winter 2010 |
Thom Browne's menswear collection 2012/13 showcased in Paris, also utilized a dramatic padding effect. Many of these pieces are reminiscent of sports costumes. The padding works here in reinforcing this idea of muscle, fitness and masculinity.
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| Balmain padded skirt S/S 2009 |
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| Padding: Giles Deacon Autumn/Winter 2011 |
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Padding: Giorgio Armani Autumn/Winter 2010/11
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