evening dress

Cristobal Balenciaga (Spanish, 1895–1972), Evening dress, 1967, silk. Length at CB: 62 in. (157.5 cm). Gift of M. Fairfax, 1995. 1995.446. © 2000–2013 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Cristobal Balenciaga (Spanish, 1895–1972), Evening dress, 1964, silk. Length at CB: 63 in. (160 cm). Gift of Baroness Philippe de Rothschild, 1973. 1973.21.8. © 2000–2013 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Evening Dress. Paul Poiret, 1910-1911. Beige silk satin dress with silk tulle overdress; embroidery of polychrome beads and gold thread; gold tulle peplum. Inventory Number(s): AC2388 79-20. ©The Kyoto Costume Institute, photo by Takashi Hatakeyama In 1906, when the S-curve silhouette was still overwhelmingly popular, Poiret introduced high waist corsetless dresses. He shifted the fashion trend substantially from 19th-century dresses in artistic forms with excessive decoration toward innovative clothing that accentuated the... [Lire la suite]

Paul Poiret (French, 1879–1944). Evening Dress, 1910. Forest green and ivory striped silk, black silk chiffon, white cartridge pleated linen, brocaded ribbon. Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Ogden Goelet, Peter Goelet, and Madison Clews in memory of Mrs. Henry Clews, 1961 (2009.300.1289)  © 2004–2011 the Brooklyn Museum Paul Poiret's early designs were revolutionary because the upright, columnar silhouette differed markedly from the... [Lire la suite]

Paul Poiret (1879-1944), Evening dress, c.1926. Gold silk chiffon, beads and rhinestones. Museum Purchase. P83.5.9. Fashion Institute of Technology © Copyright 2012 The Museum at FIT. The intricate beadwork on this dress resembles the "fountain" motif prevalent in Art Deco design, but the pattern has been turned upside down, evoking trompe l'oeil fringe. The shaded gradation of color adds depth, alluding to three-dimensionality and the play of shadow and light caused by movement. Poiret cleverly... [Lire la suite]

Paul Poiret (1879-1944), Evening dress, c.1926. Black silk chiffon, crochet lace, and satin. Museum Purchase. 2007.31.1. Fashion Institute of Technology © Copyright 2012 The Museum at FIT.

Mariano Fortuny, born 1871 - died 1949. Long, ankle length, plain black evening dress of pleated silk in the style of a Grecian chiton, ca. 1920. Given by Mrs Hollond. Museum number: T.423&A-1976. Victoria & Albert Museum, London  © V&A Images Tubular shape, with gathering at the underarm, and short sleeves which are extensions of the tube of the dress. Opened at neck and shoulders with draw string fastening across. Five large and five small ornmental glass beads of brown and... [Lire la suite]

Charles James (born 1906 - died 1978), "Tree Dress". Evening dress, 1955 . Silk taffeta, the bodice mounted on a boned foundation, the skirt supported by net and cotton webbing underskirts, fastened with two zips, mainly hand-sewn with some machine-stitching. Given by Mrs Ronald Tree. Museum number: T.277-1974. Victoria & Albert Museum  © V&A Images The inspiration for this elegant evening dress probably came from cuirasse bodices and bustle skirts of the 1870s. James was... [Lire la suite]

Chanel, Evening dress, ca. 1932. Machine- and hand-sewn blue tulle and sequins. Given by Loelia, Duchess of Westminster? Museum number: T.339-1960. Victoria & Albert Museum  © V&A Images This long, sleeveless evening dress is made of saxe-blue silk, completely covered with small matching sequins. It has a wide V-neck in the front, which dips to the waist at the back. A large bow of matching material is applied to the front bust, and another below the waist at the back.... [Lire la suite]

Callot Soeurs, Evening dress, 1922-25. silk satin. Given by Lady Lebus. Museum number: T.73-1958. Victoria & Albert Museum  © V&A Images In 1895 the four daughters of a Parisian antique dealer named Callot, the sisters-named Marie, Marthe, Regina and Josephine-set up a salon on rue Taitbout, where they worked with antique laces and ribbons to fashion blouses and lingerie. Their father had been a painter and teacher of design, and their mother a lace maker. The sisters formed... [Lire la suite]