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Cygne Noir (Black Swan)

Evening Dress
1949-1950 (made)
Artist/Maker
Bianchini-Férier (manufacturer)
Christian Dior (designer)
Place of origin
Paris (made)

This evening dress of silk satin and velvet, designed by Christian Dior (1905-57), is constructed in two parts. The tight-fitting top is attached to the skirt with a series of complex fastenings. The skirt itself is very full and heavy, with panels of integral silk velvet that create the appearance of a massive bow, which Dior described as the 'natural ornament' of a dress.

The dress is typical of Dior's collections of the time, which featured flying panels and protruding angles.

Object details

Categories
Evening Wear
Fashion
Womenswear
Object type
Evening dress
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Evening Bodice
  • Evening Skirt
Titles
  • Cygne Noir (Black Swan) (assigned by artist)
  • La Ligne Milieu du Siecle (named collection)
Materials and techniques
Silk satin, silk, net and velvet
Satin
Silk (Textile)
Velvet
Brief description
Cygne Noir evening dress consisting of a bodice and skirt, silk satin and velvet, Christian Dior haute couture Autumn/Winter 1949, Milieu du Siècle line, Paris, France. Textiles by Bianchini-Férier.
Physical description
Evening dress consisting of a bodice and skirt of black silk satin, silk and velvet.
Dimensions
  • Waist of bodice width: 23in
Production typeHaute couture
Gallery label
(22/09/2007-06/01/2008)
'Cygne Noir' (Black Swan) evening dress (robe grand soir)
Christian Dior (1905-57)
Paris
1949-50 autumn/winter, Ligne Milieu du Siècle

This imposing gown is from Dior's sixth collection. He wrote of this time, 'A golden age seemed to have come again. War had passed out of sight and there were no other wars on the horizon. What did the weight of my sumptuous materials, my heavy velvets and brocades, matter? When hearts were light, mere fabrics could not weight the body down.'

Silk velvet and faille, supplied by Bianchini Férier

Given by Baroness Antoinette de Ginsbourg
V&A: T.117&A-1974
Credit line
Given by Baroness Antoinette de Ginsbourg
Object history
Worn and given by Baroness Antoinette de Ginsbourg
Association
Beaton
Summary
This evening dress of silk satin and velvet, designed by Christian Dior (1905-57), is constructed in two parts. The tight-fitting top is attached to the skirt with a series of complex fastenings. The skirt itself is very full and heavy, with panels of integral silk velvet that create the appearance of a massive bow, which Dior described as the 'natural ornament' of a dress.

The dress is typical of Dior's collections of the time, which featured flying panels and protruding angles.
Bibliographic references
  • Christian Dior: Man of the Century (Musee Christian Dior: Editions Artlys, 2005), p.120
  • de Rethy, E., Christian Dior: The Early Years 1947-1957 (Thames & Hudson, 2001), p.43
  • Miller, L., 'Perfect Harmony' in Wilcox, C., ed., The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57 (V&A Publications, 2007), p.121 & pl.5.5
  • Dior Archives, Paris
  • Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. London : H.M.S.O., 1971
  • Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6. This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021)
Other number
07232 - Dior label number
Collection
Textiles and Fashion Collection
Accession number
T.117&A-1974

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Record createdOctober 17, 2005
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O117683/cygne-noir-black-swan-evening-dress-christian-dior/
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