Fantastic fabrics: Bouclé !

Couture Chanel jackets are very often made of Bouclé fabrics. Bouclé fabrics are woven fabrics, always unique in terms of composition and in terms of colors and yarns. The name Bouclé actually refers to both the yarn and the fabric made from the yarns. But what exactly is Bouclé fabric?

 Bouclé Fabrics
How to describe bouclé fabric?  Bouclé is both a yarn and a fabric made from it. The yarn is made from a length of loops of similar size which can range from tiny circlets to large curls.  The definition is not easy.  If you try to find bouclé in stores or on the internet in fabric-online-shops, it is often named differently. 

Sometimes it is categorized under:

• Wool and Wool blends
• Knitted Fabrics
• Tricots
• Tweeds
• Tweed Bouclé
• Jerseys
• Fashion fabrics
• or Luxury Fabrics.

In other languages the fabric is mostly called Bouclé as well but sometimes it is better to search for "Chanel fabrics" because the fabric is mostly used for Chanel Couture, jackets and skirts. On google "Chanel fabrics" are even more searched than "Bouclé fabrics".

"Chanel fabrics" are protected by proprietary rights. Most fabric stores do incorporate the association of the name Chanel into it. Sometimes you can find Bouclé fabrics under names such as: Channel, Chanellook, Chanella, Chanelli, Chanello. This is because the customer often searches under 'Chanel' and still ends up with the relevant fabrics. And for the very simple reasons that the seamstresses who want to make a Cahnel-style jacket often search under the name 'Chanel' and hopes she will find the type find the type of fabric which is typical for the jacket.


French orgin
Bouclé fabric is characterized by it's curly, knotted appearance that is created by it's open, woven weave; with fancy yarn, lurex threads, trims, ribbons, sequins in various colours. 

The fabric is original from the era of French 1950s fashion trends. Most Couture Houses loved the fabric because of its fashion appearance and a feeling of freedom which Coco Chanel used for designing her famous cardigan jackets and skirts.

In modern Couture the fabric is even used in dresses, trousers and coats.  It is always quite expensive because it is even a challenge and demands couture sewing techniques and a lot of working-hours to create the garments. On the catwalks the couture, based on Bouclé fabrics, are the real show-stoppers, even in Spring Collections.  The bouclé is a statement of pure couture and luxury tailoring.

More characteristics:
Bouclé fabric are soft, airy and elastic, existing of various threads, such as wool or cotton, including metallized fibres and sequins. Mostly gold or silver accents. Tweed boucle is all about soft ànd bold colours, as well as the classic combination of black and white. Comfy, elegant and always luxurious.

Bouclé fabrics are very supple and often loosely woven. However, they can also be very stiff, especially if they are actually fabrics designed for furniture upholstery and furniture upholstery. So pay attention to the texture. Too flexible and loosely woven fabric is very difficult to process (like our example below). Too stiff or solid is easier to work with but not nice to wear and not comfortable at all.
Unless, for example, it is used for the creation of an open-front jacket or occasional clothing such as festive clothing, gala jackets or other luxury jackets.

Pay particular attention, if you buy Bouclé fabric that you buy enough fabric because you will have to cut everything so that the loose threads do not disturb the pattern and sizes. In other words: buy extra fabric; cut the pattern with a few centimeters seam extra and keep in mind that there will be a lot of waste of fabric.
Bouclé fabric is also very suitable for the beautiful fringes. You can have them nicely fringed but also completely un tied and crochet or even knit. Braiding is also often done. It is a perfect and beautiful idea if you use the same fabric and make creative fringes with it.

Colors 
Bouclé fabrics are famous and beloved because of their beautiful structure with loose threads, loops and sometimes gold or silver threads added.  Therefore uni-colors are not very common but they are out there on the market.  Mostly bouclé fabrics are fabrics which do not have prints or patterns (almost impossible) but sometimes they have a squared pattern or a simple pattern of the woven threads. Sometimes the fabrics have a woven pattern or a kind of rhythm of recurring colors.

Styling Bouclé
Bouclé fabrics are very nice and creative fabric to make great combinations with a beautiful lining, buttons and the fringes.

Tips & tricks:

• Be carefull not to go nuts with a very boldy and colorful bouclé fabric in combination with a crazy print lining.  It can be beautiful but not very sophisticated as well.  Stick to a light color silk lining and choose it carefully. 
  
• If the bouclé fabric is very loose; better to choose a lining which will give it some support and structure.
  
• Bouclé jackets are at their bests combined with white of light-blue blouses and black pants or black skirts. 
  
• Jeans is very nice as well, but it appears to be a bit too casual as well.
  
• It is all about the color and about the attention you want to have focused on the jacket only or the total outfit.
  
• If you choose two or at most three main colors, the whole outfit will be really beautiful and not over screaming or too loud.
  
• Keep jewelery and accessories simple.  Less is more  = Bouclé.