Duchesse (Duchesse satin) was a soft, heavy, and glossy

satin A satin weave is a type of fabric weave that produces a characteristically glossy, smooth or lustrous material, typically with a glossy top surface and a dull back. It is one of three fundamental types of textile weaves alongside plain weave ...

cloth made in

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Weave

Duchesse was produced with a

weave with fine silk threads using a higher number of threads per square inch in the warp with at least seven floating yarns. The actual material was

silk Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons. The best-known silk is obtained from the ...

only but increasingly made with synthetic fibers also.

Uses

Duchesse satin is valued for its richness and heavy weight. It is used mainly for bridal gowns. The dress worn by Sarah Ferguson for her wedding to Prince Andrew, Duke of York on 23 July 1986 at

Westminster Abbey Westminster Abbey, formally titled the Collegiate Church of Saint Peter at Westminster, is an historic, mainly Gothic church in the City of Westminster, London, England, just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is one of the Unite ...

, was made from ivory duchesse satin and featured heavy beading. The gown worn by

Queen Silvia of Sweden Queen or QUEEN may refer to: Monarchy * Queen regnant, a female monarch of a Kingdom ** List of queens regnant * Queen consort, the wife of a reigning king * Queen dowager, the widow of a king * Queen mother, a queen dowager who is the mothe ...

for her marriage with Carl XVI Gustaf in 1976 was also made of duchesse satin.

References

Woven fabrics Satin {{textile-stub