Fortuny dress

Caterina Florio <caterina_florio [at] yahoo__it> writes

>I was recently asked to treat a Fortuny dress which I am hoping
>someone can help me with. The structure is solid and the silk fabric
>is in very good condition, but the pleating is loose or missing. Any
>suggestion on related literature or on the possible treatment?

To my knowledge the pleating of Fortuny dresses was put in
chemically. Effectively the protein of the silk was 'permed' in the
way hair is permed at a salon. With the use of either an acid or
alkali treatment. It is my understanding Fortuny experimented with
an acid permanent pleat system always on silk. If you have a rayon
be more curious about what is in front you. Acid treatment does
damage the fabric over time, and explains why there are so few of
them.

I would be very interested to know the pH of the fabric and I
certainly would not consider re-wetting or using any chemical
treatment to create the pleats again. The use of a slow mechanical
treatment would be my first thought. With a small heated spatula on
a very low setting with to re-instate the pleats, a small wave of an
ultrasonic humidifier (maybe after testing pH) and then glass
weights might be the best way to start.

It must also be said many people tried to emulate this fashion and
copy the style there are many different possible chemical attempts
and the early rayon's are very susceptible to shrinkage. Are you
sure it is Fortuny? Vigorous testing should be carried out to ensure
that humidifying or re- wetting the fibres is not going to cause
hydrolysation and deterioration of the silk you could very easily
lose the lustre or worse.


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 23:43
                   Distributed: Tuesday, May 4, 2010
                       Message Id: cdl-23-43-002
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