'Drapery' refers to
cloth or
textiles (
Old French ''drap'', from Late Latin ''drappus''
[1]) used for decorative purposes or to the trade of selling cloth. Even small British towns had several
drapers' shops until quite recently, when ready-made
clothes,
curtains, etc have become the norm. Several
department stores originated as drapers' shops.
The
Worshipful Company of Drapers is one of the
Livery Companies of the
City of London.
The depiction of draperies revealing and concealing the human form has been a major theme of sculpture and painting.
Notes
1. "Perhaps of Celtic origin" ''OED''.