Not currently on display at the V&A

Corfou

Evening Dress
May 1962 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

White net evening dress with appliqué pattern outlined in pearl strip. It has a round neckline, tight bodice and full flaring skirt.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleCorfou (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Net and pearls
Brief description
Evening dress of net, 'Corfou', designed by Antonio Castillo for Lanvin, Paris, May 1962
Physical description
White net evening dress with appliqué pattern outlined in pearl strip. It has a round neckline, tight bodice and full flaring skirt.
Production typeHaute couture
Credit line
Given by Mrs Loel Guinness
Historical context
Gloria Guinness (nee Gloria Rubio y Alatorre, 1912-1980) was an elegant socialite and writer of the mid 20th century.

Her third husband, whom she married in 1951, was Group Capt. Thomas Loel Guinness, a Member of Parliament (died 1989) and an heir to the Guinness beer fortune.

She was voted 'Best Dressed Woman' in the world by Time magazine in 1962 behind Jackie Kennedy in first place. (See Time magazine Jan 26 1962)

She owned seven homes, with a full wardrobe in each so that she would never have to pack or wait at customs. She spread her patronage widely, and amongst donations to the V&A of pieces by Dior, Balenciaga, Givenchy etc., are pieces by lesser known couturiers such as Chaumont and Lafaurie.
Bibliographic reference
Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. London : H.M.S.O., 1971 167
Collection
Accession number
T.289-1974

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Record createdAugust 31, 2007
Record URL
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