COMPLEX-CUT WOMEN'S EVENING DRESSES: PATTERN ENGINEERING, AESTHETIC STRUCTURE AND FUNCTIONAL EVALUATION

Abstract

This article examines complex-cut women's evening dresses as a design object that connects artistic composition, pattern engineering and practical wearability. The study uses an IMRAD structure and a design-based methodology to develop and compare three formalwear prototypes: an asymmetric draped sheath, a panelled mermaid gown and a layered architectural dress. The proposed approach combines flat pattern manipulation, three-dimensional draping, fabric-behaviour analysis and a technical evaluation matrix. Results show that complex cut is most successful when decorative seam lines also serve structural functions: controlling bust and waist shaping, stabilising bias areas, distributing fabric weight and allowing movement. The asymmetric sheath demonstrates the best balance between visual expressiveness and construction feasibility; the panelled mermaid gown provides high silhouette control but requires careful seam sequencing; and the layered architectural dress offers the strongest visual identity while demanding the highest material and technical accuracy. The article argues that complex-cut eveningwear should be designed not as excessive complication, but as a disciplined system in which silhouette, textile, pattern and body movement are developed together.