What David Koma Is Made Of: Every Fabric, Lining and Embroidery Counted, and How to Care for It
What David Koma Is Made Of: Every Fabric, Lining and Embroidery Counted, and How to Care for It
David Koma states the composition of every piece, the main fabric, the lining and the embroidery, as separate lines on its product pages, which makes it possible to say exactly what the house is made of rather than guess. This page counts those lines across the 257 pieces in stock at Luxury Handbags whose product page could be read, explains what each cloth does in a Koma design, and gives the care that each one needs. It is written for the shopper who wants to know before she pays what “satin” and “cady” and “100% Glass” actually mean here.
Key facts
- The house satin is a triacetate-polyester cloth (78% triacetate, 22% polyester) on 49 of the 257 pieces; the house cady is a viscose-acetate-elastane (50/47/3) on 25; 100% viscose fluid jersey on 22; wool tailoring (97% wool, 3% elastane and virgin wool) on 22; 100% cotton denim on 25.
- 127 of the 257 pieces are lined, 95 of them in the same 64% viscose, 36% polyester cloth; the corseted and cut-out pieces carry a 97% polyester, 3% elastane power lining.
- The embroidery fibre is declared separately: “100% Glass” (hotfix crystal and rhinestone) on 53 pieces, an 88% nylon, 12% elastane lace for the 3D flowers on 47, a 50% cotton, 50% metal thread on 15, and silk on 8.
- Feathers: 6 pieces, and the brand states on the product page that it uses “100% real ostrich feathers that are a by-product of the meat industry” (3 of them carry the line). Leather: 3 pieces in 100% leather. No fur; the fur trims are faux.
- Care: “Delicate Dry Clean” on 231 pieces and “Leather Specialist Clean” on 3; nothing in the range is machine-washable except by the fitting room’s own advice on the rib knits. Made in the United Kingdom 200, Turkey 21 (denim), China 13 (knits).
The four house cloths
Satin. Not silk. The house satin is a 78% triacetate, 22% polyester weave with a high lustre and a dry hand, and it is the most used cloth in the range. Triacetate takes a sharp press, resists creasing and holds a sculpted seam, which is why the brand uses it for the Crystal Pendant Halterneck Gown, the Cactus Dahlia Detail Gown and the Feather Neck Detail Halter Mini Dress. It marks with oils, so handle it with clean hands and keep hand cream off it; a mark that will not lift with a dry cloth goes to the cleaner.
Stretch cady. A matte, dense, slightly elastic crepe in viscose and acetate with 3% elastane, the cloth behind the sculpted dresses that define the house, the Crystal Stars Halter Gown, the Crystal Strap Detail Midi Dress, the Crystal Leaf And Halter Mini Dress. It photographs matte, which flatters, and its small stretch lets a close cut move. It travels well and does not pill. Dry clean.
Fluid jersey. 100% viscose, used for the draped pieces, the Rhinestone Leaf And Long Sleeves Midi Dress, the Draped Sleeve Jersey Midi Dress, the Scarf Detail Ruched Asymmetric Midi Dress. The most forgiving fabric in the range and the one most likely to need a steam after packing; steam from the inside and never press embroidery.
Tailoring wool and cotton denim. The trousers and jackets are a 97% wool, 3% elastane cloth, with virgin wool on the Crystal Leaf Tie Waist Jacket; the denim is 100% cotton and made in Turkey, on the 3D Flower Jeans, the 3D Flower Denim Jacket and the 3D Flower Denim Corset Top. Wool goes to the cleaner; the denim can be hand-washed cold inside out with the flowers protected, and dried flat, though the brand’s line for it is still dry clean.
The embellishment, fibre by fibre
The house lists what the decoration is made of, and the list is the difference between the original and a copy. “100% Glass” is hotfix crystal and rhinestone, glass stones with a heat-set adhesive backing applied by hand, on 53 pieces including every crystal-star and crystal-leaf dress. The 3D flowers are cut from an 88% nylon, 12% elastane lace and stitched on, which is why they hold their shape; that lace appears on 47 pieces. The metal-thread embroidery on the 3D Flower Jeans In Indigo and the denim tops is a 50% cotton, 50% metal thread. Sequins are polyester and acrylic, sewn in rows. Plexi, on the Plexi Leaf And Drape Mini Dress, is acrylic sheet cut into leaves. The glossary defines each term.
Feathers, leather, faux fur
The feathers are ostrich, and the house is unusually direct about their origin: “Please note that we use 100% real ostrich feathers that are a by-product of the meat industry” appears on the product page of the Feather Neck Detail Halter Mini Dress, the Open Back Feather Trimmed Satin Gown and the Feather Trim And Satin Mini Dress. Ostrich is the most durable plume used in fashion, but it hates two things, perfume and being folded. The leather pieces, the Metallic Curve Emb Strap Flounce Hem Leather Dress, the Flounce Hem Mini Leather Skirt, are 100% leather with a viscose lining and carry the brand’s only other care line, “Leather Specialist Clean”. The fur is faux throughout: the Sequin Gown With Faux Fur Hem and the Oversized Denim Jacket With Faux-fur Collar say so in the name.
How to care for each piece
| Piece | Brand’s care line | The fitting room adds |
|---|---|---|
| Cady and satin dresses with crystal | Delicate Dry Clean | A cleaner who has handled hotfix crystal; no hot press; store on a padded hanger in a breathable bag with nothing resting on the stones. |
| 3D-flower and lace-rose pieces | Delicate Dry Clean | Reshape each flower after cleaning; never fold across an embroidered panel; steam from the inside. |
| Sequin gowns and minis | Delicate Dry Clean | Garment bag in the wardrobe and the suitcase; sequins catch on bag chains and on each other. |
| Feather pieces | Delicate Dry Clean | Hang, never fold; keep away from perfume and hairspray; fluff with a cool hairdryer after travel. |
| Viscose jersey | Delicate Dry Clean | Steam rather than press; hang the draped pieces to let the weight of the drape settle. |
| Wool tailoring | Delicate Dry Clean | Clean rarely; brush and air between wears; press with a cloth. |
| Cotton denim with 3D flowers | Delicate Dry Clean | If you must wash, cold, inside out, by hand, flat to dry, flowers reshaped. |
| Rib knits (China) | Delicate Dry Clean | Hand-wash cool, roll in a towel, dry flat; the rib recovers. |
| Leather | Leather Specialist Clean | A leather specialist only; condition once a year; never a domestic cleaner. |
“The brand aesthetic is best described in 3 words: seductive, feminine and timeless,” the house writes on davidkoma.com. “David Koma DNA is based on sculptural and sensual pieces created to instill confidence and empower.”
Frequently asked questions
What are David Koma dresses made of?
Mostly a triacetate-polyester satin (49 pieces) and a viscose-acetate-elastane stretch cady (25), plus viscose jersey, wool tailoring and cotton denim, almost all lined in a viscose-polyester cloth. The brand lists the composition on every product page.
Does David Koma use real crystals?
The house declares the embroidery fibre as “100% Glass” on 53 pieces: hand-applied glass crystal and rhinestone, not plastic.
Are David Koma feathers real?
Yes, ostrich. The brand states on the product page that the feathers are a by-product of the meat industry.
Does David Koma use real fur?
No. The fur trims are faux and named as such; the leather pieces are real leather.
Can I wash a David Koma dress?
The brand’s line on every dress is “Delicate Dry Clean”. The fitting room hand-washes only the rib knits; everything embellished goes to a specialist cleaner.
Are David Koma dresses lined?
127 of the 257 pieces checked are lined, most in a 64% viscose, 36% polyester cloth; the corsets and cut-outs carry a firmer polyester-elastane lining.
Where are David Koma clothes made?
The United Kingdom for 200 of the pieces checked, Turkey for 21 (denim) and China for 13 (knitwear).
Read next
Read the David Koma review, the size guide and the crystal dress guide. Shop the David Koma collection at Luxury Shoes .
More David Koma guides
Every David Koma page by Luxury Shoes ’s fashion editor Gemma Deeks: Is it a luxury brand?, Brands like David Koma, How to wear, Which dress to buy, Who is David Koma?, History timeline, Size guide, Price guide, Where to buy, Sale, Review, Real vs fake, Glossary, Mugler and Blumarine, Who wears it, Pre-fall 2026 Supergirl edit, Spring-summer 2026 edit, Resort 2026 edit, vs Alexander McQueen, vs Safiyaa, Gowns, Mini dresses, Midi dresses, Tops, Jackets and tailoring, Jeans and denim, Trousers, Skirts, Wedding dresses, Wedding-guest dresses, Crystal dresses, 3D flower and lace, Sequins, Feathers, Cut-outs, Satin and velvet, Corsets, Black, White and ivory, Red and pink, Yellow, blue and green.
Sources and method
Checked on 18 September 2026 by Gemma Deeks, fashion editor at Luxury Shoes . Product facts, the compositions, linings, embroidery fibres, care lines and country of manufacture, are the brand’s own product-page text; counts, prices and price ranges are Luxury Shoes ’s live catalogue on that date and move with stock; the designer’s biography and the house history come from the brand’s own About page and the press articles listed below, each read on the date above; the size chart is the brand’s own. Where a claim could not be checked against one of these it was left out, and where the fitting room is giving its own advice the page says so.
- davidkoma.com, About us: the brand story, the brand vision and the designer biography in the house’s own words
- davidkoma.com, Size guide: the UK, Italy, US, France and Japan conversion chart and the body measurements by UK size
- davidkoma.com, Delivery and returns: dispatch, delivery windows, duties and the 14-day returns window on the brand’s own store
- David Koma product pages: the description, composition, lining, embroidery, care and made-in lines of every style (306 pages saved 18 September 2026)
- David Koma on Wikipedia and its cited articles
- Wikidata Q5236101
- London Fashion Week, designer profile: David Koma
- WWD, 9 March 2026: the fall 2026 review (“Elegant and Untouchable”, “fragility and structure”, corsetry and feathers, the designer quoted)
- Luxury Handbags live catalogue, 18 September 2026: prices, sizes and stock
Related Posts
Yellow, Blue and Green David Koma Dresses: Every Colour in Stock, Ranked
The David Koma colour pieces answered by shade: 44 yellow, blue, green, peach and lilac dresses, where each colour came from, and the twelve to buy.
Red and Pink David Koma Dresses: The Supergirl Red, the Forest Pink, Ranked
Red is the Supergirl colour of pre-fall 2026 and pink the spring forest colour: 19 David Koma dresses sorted by shade, the ten to buy, and how to wear the colour.
White David Koma Dresses: The 26 in Stock, From a Summer Party to a Wedding
White is the second colour at David Koma: 26 white and ivory dresses sorted from a summer party to a ceremony, the twelve to buy, and the care that keeps them white.
Black David Koma Dresses: The 67 in Stock, by Length, Ranked
The black David Koma dress is the house in its purest form: 67 in stock sorted by length, the twelve to buy, and why black never reaches the sale.
David Koma Corsets: The Boned Tops, the Corset Gowns and How to Size One
The corset is the David Koma structure worn on the outside: 22 boned tops and corset dresses ranked, and the bust-measurement rule for sizing one.
David Koma Satin and Velvet Dresses: The Halter, the Canvas, the Tailoring and the Graham Norton Velvet
The house satin (triacetate, not silk) and its velvet: 76 David Koma pieces sorted by what the satin does, the Taylor Swift velvet, and the twelve to buy.
David Koma Cut-Out Dresses: Midriff, Back, Leg and Side, Sorted by How Much Shows
The cut-out is the David Koma engineering feat: 34 pieces sorted by the opening, midriff, back, leg, side, why the exact size matters, and the ten to buy.
David Koma Feather Dresses: The Ostrich Trim, the Six in Stock and How to Keep Them
Ostrich feathers, declared and hand-applied: the 25 David Koma feather pieces in stock, which to buy, and the care that keeps them.
David Koma Sequin Dresses: The Fitted Column, the Gold Gown and Sequin Boucle
The fitted sequin column and the daytime sequin boucle: 36 David Koma sequin pieces, the new gold gown, and the ten to buy.
David Koma 3D Flower and Lace Dresses: The Lace Rose, the Cactus Dahlia and Where Each Lives
The lace rose, the cactus dahlia and the lace flower: 80 David Koma flower pieces sorted by season and cloth, how the flower is made, and the twelve to buy.
David Koma Crystal Dresses: The Star, the Leaf, the Rose, and Why One Placement
Crystal is the David Koma signature: 83 pieces sorted by shape, star, leaf, rose, pendant, why the house uses one placement on plain cady, and the twelve to buy.
David Koma Wedding Guest Dresses: By the Wedding, With the Rules on Colour, Length and White
Which David Koma dress for a garden wedding, a city wedding, a black-tie evening and a destination wedding, twelve picks in order, and the rules on white, cut-outs and colour.