What Is a Devore Gown? Devore, Dry Jersey and Stretch Mesh Explained

Devoré is a burn-out technique: a chemical paste is printed onto a fabric woven from two different fibres, and it dissolves one of them, leaving a pattern of sheer areas set against raised, denser ones. A devoré gown therefore looks part solid and part transparent, and it changes with every shift of light. Alex Perry’s Fall Winter 2026 black devoré gown sits alongside three other evening fabrics worth understanding before you buy: dry jersey, stretch mesh and satin crepe, all explained below.

What is devoré fabric?

The name comes from the French for “devoured”, which describes the process well. The fabric starts as a blend of two fibre types. A paste is applied in a pattern, the cloth is heated, and the paste eats away one of the fibres wherever it touches, usually the plant-based one such as rayon. The fabric is then washed, and the dissolved fibre rinses out. What remains in those areas is the finer, sheer base, while untouched areas keep their full weight and texture. In English the same finish is often called burn-out.

The result is a pattern made from the fabric itself, not printed on top. That is why devoré looks expensive in person. In candlelight the sheer areas show skin and the denser areas catch the glow, so the pattern seems to move as you do. Alex Perry’s Strapless Drape Gown in Devoré, Black is a blend of 50% nylon, 28% rayon and 22% silk, cut with a straight neckline and a drape through the body. A bronze version also appeared in the collection and has already sold out.

Is devoré velvet? Devoré vs velvet vs lace

Not necessarily. Devoré is a technique, velvet is a fabric, and lace is a construction, and people mix the three up because the best-known devoré is devoré velvet.

• Velvet is a pile fabric: short, dense fibres stand upright from a woven base, which gives the plush surface and deep colour. Plain velvet is solid all over. See the Off Shoulder Corset Gown in Velvet for the classic version.
• Devoré removes fibre to make a pattern. On velvet, it strips the pile away in places, leaving sheer ground between raised velvet shapes. It can also be applied to satins, jerseys and blended sheers.
• Lace is built as openwork from the start: threads are looped and twisted, and the holes are part of the structure, not removed afterwards. Alex Perry’s leopard lace, covered in our leopard lace bodysuit guide, is a stretch lace of this kind.

Earlier Alex Perry collections used burn-out on bodywear, including the Long Sleeve Bodysuit in Burnout, Black and the Halter Bodysuit in Burnout, Black.

What does a devoré gown feel like to wear?

Light, fluid and a little cool. The sheer areas weigh almost nothing, so a devoré gown moves more than a satin one and holds less warmth; on a winter night it needs a wrap, a coat and a warm room. The denser areas feel slightly raised under the hand. Because parts of the fabric are see-through, check the product images to see where the sheer sections fall before you choose what to wear underneath. Devoré suits black-tie galas, evening weddings and any room lit low enough to show it off.

What is dry jersey?

Dry jersey is a knitted fabric with a matte surface and a crisper, drier hand than the slinky jersey most people picture. Alex Perry’s is 100% viscose. It still drapes, but it holds a fold instead of collapsing against the body, which is why it suits twists, cape sleeves and one-shoulder wraps. It is forgiving through the middle, comfortable over a long evening and a sensible choice for a wedding you have to travel to.

• One Shoulder Scarf Gown in Dry Jersey, Forest Green: an asymmetric wrap with a floor-length scarf.
• Halter Drape Gown in Dry Jersey, Violet: a low neckline and an open back.
• One Shoulder Cape Sleeve Twist Gown in Dry Jersey, Clay: an asymmetric shoulder drape with a high neckline.

The green gowns are compared in our green evening gowns edit.

Is stretch mesh see-through?

Stretch mesh is a fine, semi-sheer net with a lot of give; Alex Perry’s is 77.5% nylon and 22.5% spandex. On its own it is partly see-through, and how much depends on the colour and how many layers sit over the body. The Fall Winter 2026 pieces build coverage into the design with cupped panels and ruching. The Cupped Drape Gown in Stretch Mesh, Toffee has a sweetheart neckline and cupped panels. The Strapless Sweetheart Ruched Column in Stretch Mesh, Grey has a ruched centre front and exposed cut-outs. Mesh hugs the body and recovers its shape, so it suits anyone who likes a close fit without boning. It is the least warm of the four fabrics.

What is satin crepe?

Satin crepe has two faces: a smooth, glossy satin side and a matte, finely grained crepe side. Alex Perry’s is 80% acetate and 20% polyester, and it is the house’s signature evening cloth because it has enough body to hold a cupped bodice and a tiered drape while still moving. Jennifer Lopez wore a rust satin-crepe Alex Perry Long Sleeve Scarf Dress at a Kamala Harris rally on 31 October 2024. This season the fabric carries the Cupped Asymmetric Tiered Drape Gown in Satin Crepe, Blackberry and the Strapless Tucked Gown in Satin Crepe, Black. More satin-crepe gowns are in our best designer evening gowns guide.

Evening fabrics compared

How do you care for devoré?

Read the care label first; it overrides any general rule. As a default, take a devoré gown to a specialist dry cleaner and point out the sheer areas, which are more fragile than the solid ones. Steam from a distance instead of pressing a hot iron onto the fabric. Hang a gown on a padded hanger with room around it, and keep it away from rough jewellery and beaded bags that can catch the sheer ground. Jersey and mesh are happier folded, because hanging can stretch a knit over time.

Which fabric for which evening?

• Black tie in winter: satin crepe for structure, devoré for movement, velvet for warmth.
• A wedding you have to travel to: dry jersey, which is comfortable for hours and forgiving of a long day.
• A close fit without boning: stretch mesh.
• A firm, corseted bodice: satin crepe and wool suiting, covered in our evening suiting guide.

For a full season view, see Alex Perry Fall Winter 2026, piece by piece, the Alex Perry evening gowns edit and the Alex Perry dresses page.

Shop the edit

• Strapless Drape Gown in Devoré, Black
• One Shoulder Scarf Gown in Dry Jersey, Forest Green
• Cupped Drape Gown in Stretch Mesh, Toffee
• Cupped Asymmetric Tiered Drape Gown in Satin Crepe, Blackberry
• More: designer evening gowns

Frequently asked questions

What is devoré fabric?

Devoré is a fabric made by printing a chemical paste onto a cloth woven from two fibres, so that one fibre dissolves in a pattern. The dissolved areas become sheer, while the untouched areas stay dense and slightly raised. The finish is also called burn-out, and the name comes from the French for “devoured”. It is used for evening gowns, bodysuits and scarves.

Is devoré velvet?

Devoré is not always velvet. Devoré is a technique that removes fibre to create a pattern, and velvet is one of the fabrics it is often applied to. Devoré velvet has raised velvet shapes on a sheer ground. The technique also works on satins, jerseys and blended sheers, such as the nylon, rayon and silk blend of Alex Perry’s black devoré gown.

What is dry jersey?

Dry jersey is a knitted fabric with a matte surface and a crisper, drier hand than ordinary slinky jersey. It drapes but holds a fold, so it suits twisted, one-shoulder and cape-sleeve gowns. Alex Perry’s dry jersey is 100% viscose. It is comfortable over a long evening, forgiving through the middle and a sound choice for weddings that involve travel.

Is stretch mesh see-through?

Stretch mesh is semi-sheer, so it is partly see-through on its own. How much shows depends on the colour, the number of layers and the design. Alex Perry’s Fall Winter 2026 stretch mesh gowns and bodysuits add coverage with cupped panels and ruching. Look at the product images to see where the sheer areas fall, and choose a matching base layer if needed.

How do you care for devoré?

Care for devoré by following the garment label, and as a default use a specialist dry cleaner. Point out the sheer areas, which are more fragile than the dense ones. Steam from a distance instead of pressing with a hot iron. Hang gowns on a padded hanger with space around them, and keep the sheer ground away from rough jewellery that can snag it.

What is the difference between satin crepe and satin?

Satin crepe has two faces, a glossy satin side and a matte crepe side, while plain satin is glossy on the face with a duller back and no crepe texture. Satin crepe has more body, so it holds sculpted bodices and tiered drapes well. Alex Perry’s satin crepe is 80% acetate and 20% polyester and appears across its formal gowns.

Read next: leopard lace bodysuits, winter wedding guest gowns and green evening gowns for black tie.