Product description
Duchesse satin (or peau de soie) is the beauty queen of silk fabrics. It is a perennial favorite for bridal and evening gowns but is also a knock-out in little black dresses, cocktail numbers, corsets, skirts, and jackets. Duchesse is a sturdy, tightly woven fabric with a lustrous, pearly shine (the back is matte) that holds its form beautifully.
Duchesse is stiffer lengthwise than crosswise. Arranging your pattern pieces lengthwise will make a sturdier garment while laying your pieces crosswise will give you more drape.
This duchesse is woven of silk and polyester. It retains the shine of pure silk duchesse but is sturdier and a bit heavier.
With its unique qualities, duchesse can make a simple, full skirt into an event. It is so popular for bridal fashions that it is sometimes called bridal satin. Take it up a notch by combining with satin organza, chiffon, lace, or tulle. If you need something with the same shine, but more drape, have a look at our light- and mid-weight satins.
Care
We recommend dry cleaning this fabric at a reliable dry cleaner. In our tests of how to wash silk this fabric stood up to gentle hand washing but lost some of its stiffness. If you risk hand washing, use lukewarm water and a delicate detergent for woolens; do not wring or squeeze dry; block dry on a flat surface. Dry iron on the back on the lowest setting. Avoid water droplets.
