Not currently on display at the V&A

Evening Dress

1966 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This simply cut cream silk crêpe dress with wide bands of silver sequins shows the restrained luxury of top-quality American design in the mid-1960s. It was worn by the fashion journalist Eleanor Lambert to American writer Truman Capote’s Black & White Ball.

The designer, Norman Norell, was a central figure in the development of the American high end fashion industry. He worked to a high standard, creating simple, stylish clothing. His daywear was immaculately tailored and finished, and his evening wear often used sequins to great effect. In 1943 he won the first Coty American Fashion Critics Award ever presented, and by 1956, had been inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame. Designers such as Norell offered a streamlined, restrained American alternative to Paris extravagance.

Eleanor Lambert (1903-2003) devoted her life to championing and promoting American fashion design. She created the Best Dressed List (1940), and was involved in founding the Coty Awards and the bi-annual American Fashion Weeks. Her legacy was to ensure that American fashion at its best became recognised as a worthy equal to Paris couture.

The Black & White Ball, held on November 28, 1966 in the Grand Ballroom of New York City's Plaza Hotel, was considered the social event of not only that season but of many to follow. The guest list brought together the élites of politics, show business and money, all of whom were required to wear black and white clothing and masks. The party was widely covered by the media.

Eleanor later donated her dress to a fellow guest, Cecil Beaton, when he was putting together the Beaton Collection. Beaton acquired garments from designers and the well-dressed élite of Europe and America. The collection was exhibited at the V&A in 1971, and was subsequently presented to the Museum.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Silk crêpe with sequins
Brief description
Evening dress of embroidered crêpe, designed by Norman Norell, New York, 1966.
Physical description
White crêpe evening dress, of straight cut, with full length straight sleeves. With broad silver sequin bands.
Dimensions
  • Weight: 1.16kg
Production typeHaute couture
Credit line
Given by Eleanor Lambert
Object history
Worn by Miss Eleanor Lambert to Truman Capote's Black And White Ball, November 29th 1966.
Historical context
Eleanor Lambert (August 10, 1903 - October 7, 2003) was a U.S. fashion pioneer. Perhaps her greatest legacy to history was her invention of the Best Dressed List in 1940. She was born in 1903 in Crawfordsville, Indiana and died aged 100 in New York City.

On November 28, 1966, in honor of Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham, Capote hosted a legendary masked ball, called the Black & White Ball, in the Grand Ballroom of New York City's Plaza Hotel. It was considered the social event of not only that season but of many to follow. The New York Times and other publications gave it considerable coverage, and Deborah Davis wrote an entire book about the event, Party of the Century (2006), excerpted by The Independent. Different accounts of the evening were collected by George Plimpton in his book Truman Capote.

Capote dangled the prized invitations for months, snubbing early supporters like Carson McCullers as he determined who was "in" and who was "out." In choosing his guest of honor, Capote eschewed glamorous "swans" like Babe Paley and Fiat heiress Marella Agnelli in favor of Katharine Graham. Actor Candice Bergen was bored at the ball. Capote's elevator man danced the night away with a woman who didn't know his pedigree. Norman Mailer sounded off about Vietnam, and Frank Sinatra danced with his young wife, Mia Farrow.
Associations
Summary
This simply cut cream silk crêpe dress with wide bands of silver sequins shows the restrained luxury of top-quality American design in the mid-1960s. It was worn by the fashion journalist Eleanor Lambert to American writer Truman Capote’s Black & White Ball.

The designer, Norman Norell, was a central figure in the development of the American high end fashion industry. He worked to a high standard, creating simple, stylish clothing. His daywear was immaculately tailored and finished, and his evening wear often used sequins to great effect. In 1943 he won the first Coty American Fashion Critics Award ever presented, and by 1956, had been inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame. Designers such as Norell offered a streamlined, restrained American alternative to Paris extravagance.

Eleanor Lambert (1903-2003) devoted her life to championing and promoting American fashion design. She created the Best Dressed List (1940), and was involved in founding the Coty Awards and the bi-annual American Fashion Weeks. Her legacy was to ensure that American fashion at its best became recognised as a worthy equal to Paris couture.

The Black & White Ball, held on November 28, 1966 in the Grand Ballroom of New York City's Plaza Hotel, was considered the social event of not only that season but of many to follow. The guest list brought together the élites of politics, show business and money, all of whom were required to wear black and white clothing and masks. The party was widely covered by the media.

Eleanor later donated her dress to a fellow guest, Cecil Beaton, when he was putting together the Beaton Collection. Beaton acquired garments from designers and the well-dressed élite of Europe and America. The collection was exhibited at the V&A in 1971, and was subsequently presented to the Museum.
Bibliographic reference
Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton. London : H.M.S.O., 1971
Collection
Accession number
T.328-1974

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Record createdSeptember 5, 2007
Record URL
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