What does faille mean?
Faille is a noun denoting a classically elegant woven fabric characterized by fine, closely spaced transverse ribs and a soft, subdued luster. Traditionally made of silk, it is now also produced in cotton, wool blends, and synthetics. Its gently corrugated surface gives garments structure and body, which has long made it a favored cloth for formal and evening wear — ball gowns, dinner jackets, sashes, hats, and ribbon trim. The name comes into English from French, and the word is pronounced like "file" in American English, though a pronunciation closer to "fail" is also encountered. Because it is a technical term of the textile trade rather than everyday vocabulary, faille appears chiefly in fashion writing, dressmaking patterns, and descriptions of couture. It sits alongside related ribbed fabrics such as grosgrain and ottoman, from which it is distinguished by its finer, flatter ribs and softer hand. Knowing the word allows precise description of one of tailoring's most quietly luxurious materials.
nounA ribbed woven fabric, traditionally of silk, with fine transverse ridges and a slightly lustrous surface, used for dresses, ribbons, and evening wear.
- A ribbed woven fabric, typically silk, with narrow transverse ribs and a soft luster, used especially for formal wear, millinery, and ribbons.
"The gown was cut from black silk faille that caught the candlelight along every rib."
"She chose ivory silk faille for the bodice because its subtle ribs gave the fabric a quiet sheen."
"The hatband was trimmed in a narrow strip of grosgrain faille."
Usually uncountable when referring to the material; the plural appears mainly when discussing different varieties or weaves of the fabric.
"The showroom stocked failles in both silk and wool blends."
Pronounced exactly like "file," faille is the ribbed silk behind some of fashion's most sculptural ball gowns — a word most people have worn without ever knowing.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of faille
The English word faille was borrowed from French, where it names the same ribbed silk fabric; the borrowing is generally placed in the 17th century, when French silks dominated European fashion. Beyond its passage through French, the ultimate origin of the term is uncertain, so any deeper root should be treated with caution. It remains primarily a term of the textile and fashion trades in both British and American English.
How faille is actually used
A specialist textile term used mainly in fashion, dressmaking, and interior design contexts. In British English it is also sometimes heard as /ˈfeɪl/, though the /ˈfaɪl/ pronunciation is standard in American usage. It carries an association with formality and luxury tailoring.
Easily confused with faille
"Fail" is a verb meaning to be unsuccessful, while "faille" is a noun naming a type of ribbed fabric — the two differ only by the final -e in spelling and in pronunciation (/feɪl/ versus /ˈfaɪl/).