Pleats don’t just create movement; sometimes they give a garment its structure. In this second and final pleats episode, we continue our deep dive from “Pleats to Plissé,” moving from pleats as a surface texture into the world of structured pleats that physically build a garment's silhouette.

We follow knife, box, and cartridge pleats through time: from ancient Egypt’s Tarkhan dress to Korean Hanbok, Japanese Hakama, Chinese Mamianqun, and European men's and womenswear. We then jump into today’s context: country clubs, tennis-core, quiet luxury, royal off‑duty dressing, Sukeban girl gangs, Gossip Girl uniforms, Miu Miu’s boxer‑waist skirts, menswear trousers, and how we both use pleats in our wardrobes.

Timestamps: 00:00:00 Intro 00:00:17 Gals Catch Up 00:01:40 Pleats Two‑Parter Setup 00:02:33 Knife, Box, & Cartridge Pleats 00:05:33 Ancient Egypt Origins 00:07:57 Korea: Hanbok 00:10:56 Japan: Hakama 00:15:06 China: Mamianqun 00:16:47 Renaissance: Pleats & Shape 00:21:13 Kilts Over Time 00:22:44 Fortuny, Negrin, & Heat Setting Pleats 00:24:11 Duality in Structured Pleats’ Messaging Today 00:25:08 A Polished Aesthetic: Quiet Luxury 00:28:49 A Polished Aesthetic: Royalty & Ceremonial Codes 00:31:30 Rebellion on Polished Codes: Sukeban, Gossip Girl, & Modern Spins 00:35:31 Menswear Pleats Comeback 00:39:12 Personal Style & Feelings 00:44:16 See You Soon! Find our full visual guide, references, and show notes → linked here.

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