Item of the week: the ruched dress (2024)

What it is:

Ruched details have been an inescapable part of the current fashion season,particularly used in bodycon dresses and skirts. The style’s regularinvolvement in a number of recent runway shows also suggests the trendisn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Ruching, a French term which translatesas ‘to gather, ruffle or pleat’, is a centuries-old technique that involvesthe overlaying of fabric to create an almost rippling effect. Its currentuse consists of gathering fabric at a certain point of a garment to add avisually interesting element to designs. Recent designer fashion weekcollections have included the technique in a number of pieces, mostly seenin form-fitting dresses and skirts that use ruching to create aneye-catching texture. Similar looks have continued to flood the high streetin more wearable versions, as the technique continues to spike inpopularity, likely due to its ability to form flattering silhouettes andoften boasts adjustable qualities.

Why you’ll want it:

Ruching was regularly used in both SS22 and AW22 fashion weeks by populardesigners who each brought their own modern twists on the style. Theirunique take on the trend has helped to establish its place as a prominentstaple look for the coming season, something that has been built upon withseasons recently passed. The increased use of the style could see itcontinue to become a regular fixture for retailer’s as it subtly links inwith the current Gen Z-led Y2K trend that has been making waves throughoutthe industry. High street translations of the trend are often easy-to-wearand provide a fashion-forward alternative to typical evening wear pieces,with the look also considered somewhat of a body confidence-boostingwardrobe addition.

Where we’ve seen it:

Ruching is a technique that has been explored by many designers over thepast few seasons, with the AW22 season being no exception. Despite alliterations of the design, it was arguably Nensi Dojaka who is responsiblefor the style's current surge in popularity. Known for her technicallyelaborate mini dresses, Dojaka’s looks often consist of heavily rucheddetails alongside lace up and cut out qualities, creating looks holding alingerie-like aesthetic. Supriya Lele presented similar ruched designs forthe season’s LFW collection, offering up deconstructed garments in the formof body hugging silhouettes. Heavy ruching was also featured in somecreations by New York designer Proenza Schouler, with one in particularallowing the technique to completely define the dress shape. Ahluwalia wasanother to implement ruching into a handful of designs, shown in a colourcontrasting mini dress with a form fitting waistline emphasised by neonhues.

How to style it:

Styling this trend ultimately depends on the particular style category theruched dress falls into, with a variety of versions available to the highstreet. A particular avenue regularly explored by high-end designers isthat of a more deconstructed dress type, where the ruching could take placeat various points of the garment and ultimately brings the piece togetherinto one form. A way to approach this alternative, in reference to howdesigners take it on, is to play with the deconstructed element of thedesign, layering pieces both over the top and underneath to create moredepth and new silhouette possibilities. For more simple versions of thedress style, shown in body-hugging mini or midi dresses, opt for throw onlayers, like an oversized blazer or cropped denim jacket. Often, even themore simple versions of ruched dresses come with adjustable features thatcan be played with, allowing for experimentation on length, shape and form,based on the desires of the wearer.

While the ruche technique is something that was heavily adopted bydesigners for their current collections, it has also established aprominent place on the high street as a staple look for both coming seasonand the last. Its increasing popularity can be attributed to both itsflattering silhouette and Gen Z’s fascination with nostalgic fashion erasof the past. With the ruched dress appearing in multiple AW22 runways, itseems this historic technique is bound to continue making strides in theindustry.