The art and science of building relies on both the imagination and on the materials at hand. Just as architects and engineers consider the strengths and limitations of building materials, Isabel Toledo gives attention to the nature of the fibers used in a textile, and to its structure and weight. From her observations, she developed a principle called liquid architecture to describe the way pliable textiles of various weights cascade into folds, and contour the human body with grace and elegance.

The study of the nature of different fabrics enables her to create unusual garments. In the case of the multi-tiered gown, she uses fluid jerseys on the upper portions and a stiffer, heavier fabric on the lower portion. The combination results in a change of volume that affects the way the garment falls. The opposite use of fabric and structure can be found in a gown with a matte jersey skirt attached to a silk taffeta bodice. There, tension is anchored at the shoulders, which allows the sleeves to take flight. Were the fabrics of the bodice and skirt interchanged, gravity would insure far different results.

In some cases, Isabel conceives of garments in terms of masonry archetypes, as in a crepe jersey dress composed of a column-like skirt resting on a rounded pedestal of various fabrics. The strong unyielding shape of a classical marble column loses its rigidity when made of cloth. Although the architectural concept is integral to the garment, the nature of the materials transforms it into something fluid and far from monumental.

Isabel Toledo delights in the subversive use of elements borrowed from other fields. These stimulate and inspire, giving her work a different perspective. The results are timeless and defy categorization.