A crisp, smooth, plain-weave fabric with a slight sheen, often made from silk or synthetic fibers.
Taffeta is a warp-faced plain weave: closely set warp yarns cover a slightly thicker weft, which shows as fine ribs across the width of the cloth. The SILKNOW silk thesaurus describes the result as fine, crisp and lustrous. It was first woven in silk; versions in silk blends, cotton, wool, polyester and nylon came later. The V&A holds a backless evening dress cut on the bias from silk taffeta in Paris around 1936.
Two neighbors are easily confused with it. Faille belongs to the same weave family: the Museum at FIT calls faille a medium-weight ribbed textile, taffeta a lighter one and ottoman a heavier one, noting that changing the scale of the yarns changes how the fabric drapes. Satin is shiny too, but the Textile Research Centre in Leiden notes that it is a satin weave, while taffeta is a tabby, or plain, weave.
In job listings
Taffeta seldom names a role. Knowledge of such fabrics is asked of couture product developers, who coordinate fabric purchasing with the studio and the workshops, and of boutique tailors and alterations specialists, whose listings ask for couture training and work on delicate, soft and structured fabrics. See current couture alterations roles.
