Christian Dior (French, Granville 1905–1957 Montecatini), Evening dress, fall-winter 1957–58, silk. Gift of Madame Walther Moreira Salles, 1969. C.I.69.39. © 2000–2015 The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Conceived as a sarong, this is a more formal version of a dress style that had been offered in earlier collections. The fabric is wrapped from a back seam with an asymmetrical hem. Dior resolved the asymmetry of the hem but, in doing so, lost the width of fabric required to continue the side drape. As a result, an extra is gathered into the side seam to form a free-flowing train. The appearance is of continuous fabric but, in fact, Dior had to concoct the process.