Padding

• Padding is the act of stuffing, filling or lining to enhance parts of the garment.
• When I hear the word padding I instantly think of shoulder pads. Shoulder pads give the illusion of having broader, less sloping shoulders. It first emerged in the early 1940's at the beginning of World War 2 when women's fashion became militarised and more masculine. It reemerged in the 80's along with other 1940's styles such as the peplum and the batwing. The use of shoulder pads were very popular among women seeking success in the corporate world, giving the look the name "power dressing".
• Padding is now a technique used by many Japanese designers in their collections.

Balenciaga, A/W 12, S/S 09 Shoulder Pads

Comme Des Garcons S/S 12

Hiroko Koshino A/W 09

Issey Miyake A/W 12

Viktor and Rolf