Polynésie thumbnail 1
Polynésie thumbnail 2
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Image of Gallery in South Kensington
On display at V&A South Kensington
Fashion, Room 40

Polynésie

Evening Dress
1960 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The Polynésie evening dress, which comes with a detachable belt featuring a bow, was designed by Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior for the Paris, France spring-summer 1960 collection. The bodice is heavily embellished with materials including coral and beads. The cream skirt is sculptural in form and constructed from a stiff zibeline textile. The streamlined silhouette suggests the movement away from the full skirts in fashion in the 1950s in places including England and France which referenced the wide skirts favoured in these parts of the world around the 1850s.

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watch Fashion Unpicked: YSL couture evening dress and shoes Take a closer look at this dazzling 1960s Yves Saint Laurent evening dress and matching shoes by Roger Vivier, on the cusp of changing silhouettes for women.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Belt
  • Evening Dress
TitlePolynésie (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Embroidered silk with coral, beads, diamantés and metal threads, zibeline, boned
Brief description
Polynésie, evening dress with belt, zibeline, silk, embroidered with coral, beads, diamantés and metal threads, designed by Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior, Paris, France, spring-summer 1960
Physical description
Evening dress of embroidered silk and zibeline with a belt. Heavily-embellished, round-necked bodice with three quarter length sleeves. Mid-length skirt made from a high-sheen textile. The skirt is made up of two tiers. There is a centre back zip fastening and the innder bodice is boned, with four suspenders.

The belt is made of cream zibelline, the same textile seen on the skirt. The belt features a flat bow trimming.
Dimensions
  • Shoulder to hem length: 133cm
  • Bodice length: 41cm
  • Waist circumference: 52cm
  • Bust circumference: 88cm
Production typeHaute couture
Marks and inscriptions
Inside the bodice is the label: 'CHRISTIAN DIOR PARIS PRINTEMPS-ETE 1960 104755'
Translation
'CHRISTIAN DIOR PARIS SPRING-SUMMER 1960 104755'
Credit line
Given by Mrs Walther Moreira Salles, Cecil Beaton Collection
Object history
Spring-summer 1960.
Worn and given by Mrs Walther Moreira Salles.
Beaton Catalogue number 75.
Registed Papers 70/3752F.
Summary
The Polynésie evening dress, which comes with a detachable belt featuring a bow, was designed by Yves Saint Laurent for Christian Dior for the Paris, France spring-summer 1960 collection. The bodice is heavily embellished with materials including coral and beads. The cream skirt is sculptural in form and constructed from a stiff zibeline textile. The streamlined silhouette suggests the movement away from the full skirts in fashion in the 1950s in places including England and France which referenced the wide skirts favoured in these parts of the world around the 1850s.

Bibliographic reference
Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. London : H.M.S.O., 1971 75
Other number
04755 - Couture number
Collection
Accession number
T.128&A-1974

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Record createdAugust 30, 2007
Record URL
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