Timeless Elegance Through Pleats
About JANKIV
Behind JANKIV stand siblings Karolína and Michal. Our work is dedicated to reviving and preserving a unique craft that has nearly disappeared in Slovakia – the art of hand pleating. Pleating is the delicate folding of fabric into timeless structures and textures.
Since the dawn of human clothing, hand pleating has been part of history. The oldest textiles with a plissé structure — folds and pleats — date back more than 4,000 years and were discovered in Egypt. In ancient Rome, citizens carefully folded their togas into precise pleats. Later, Suzanne Lenglen caused a revolution when she became the first woman to wear a pleated skirt at the Wimbledon tournament. Actress Marilyn Monroe became iconic thanks to her billowing hand-pleated dress in The Seven Year Itch. Likewise, hand pleating played a role in the royal coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Each hand-crafted fold continues a millennia-old artistic and artisanal tradition that comes alive in your hands. Today, hand pleating has the power to elevate and transform any fabric into a true work of art.
Our Mission
At JANKIV, we believe that pleating holds a breathtaking history worth carrying forward into contemporary design. Every piece we create is designed, hand-pleated, and sewn in our atelier in Košice, where we combine traditional methods with innovative approaches.
We are committed to safeguarding this craft by preserving historical techniques, while reimagining them for the 21st century. JANKIV invites the world to rediscover the beauty of hand pleating – an art form that turns fabric into sculpture and brings poetic elegance into everyday life.
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