The LILA and VIOLET dress, top, and blouse are made by attaching different pleated elements to a basic A-line pattern. You can create four different designs with the same base pattern by varying the hem length and attaching the LILA or VIOLET pleated elements to the base. The pleated ruffle on the LILA top and dress is designed to give a joyful statement look to the basic A-line pattern. The ruffles create off-the-shoulder sleeves that cover the upper part of the arms and elegantly reveal the shoulders. The VIOLET design has wide, pleated off- the-shoulder sleeves that attach to the basic pattern.

Fashion designer and illustrator Ivona Fodora grew up in a small border town in northwestern Serbia, surrounded by different cultures, arts, and crafts. These early influences can be seen in her design language celebrating playful pleats. She moved from Serbia to Finland to do her master’s degree in fashion design at Aalto University and fell in love with the Finnish summer.

All photos by Meklit Tsige. Illustrations by Ivona Fodora.

Fit and size:
Choose your size based on your bust circumference. Add a recommended positive ease of 2–4"/5–10 cm. Pick the size that is the best match for your bust.

Bayi Amoussou is wearing LILA top in size 3. she is 65"/164 cm tall. Claire Farrell is wearing VIOLET dress and blouse in size 3. She is 61"/155 cm tall.

Fabric recommendations:
The sample LILA top is made from double gauze "Lange à rayures écru" (4.4 oz/150 gsm) by Les Trouvailles d’Amandine. We recommend using lighter, draping fabrics for the dress versions – especially for VIOLET. These give the designs a luxurious and light feel. You’ll create a slightly different look with poplins, as the stiffness of the fabric keeps the pleats more structured. The VIOLET sample dress and blouse are made from an exquisite hand-printed crepe de chine (100% silk, 16.5 mm, approximately 2.1 oz/60 gsm) by A Verb for Keeping Warm.

Files:
A4 (home printing) and A0 (copy shop printing) PDF files with sizes nested. Sewing instructions are in a separate PDF file.

Delivery:
After purchasing, you will receive a link to download the PDF files. There are no delivery charges for the digital patterns, as they are delivered automatically via email immediately after purchase. PDF patterns are only eligible for return and refund if the provided download links have not been used. If the download links have been used, the product will not be refunded.