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Evening dress - Delphos

Delphos

  • Object:

    Evening dress

  • Place of origin:

    Venice, Italy (made)

  • Date:

    ca. 1920 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Mariano Fortuny, born 1871 - died 1949 (designer)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Pleated satin with glass beads

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Mrs Hollond

  • Museum number:

    T.423&A-1976

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

  • Image in copyright

The multi-talented Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) was a painter, theatre designer, photographer, inventor and scientist, although he is best known as a creator of extraordinary fabrics and clothes. In 1909 he registered his design (based on the Ionic version of the Greek classical garment the chiton) for the 'Delphos' dress, of which this glistening black columnar example is a typical representative. The dress consists of five narrow widths of pleated silk hand-sewn into a tube just 47 cm wide. The neck and sleeves are adjusted to fit by concealed draw-strings, while a black rouleau, threaded with Venetian glass beads, laces the outer sleeves.

Physical description

Long, ankle length, plain black evening dress of pleated silk in the style of a Grecian chiton. Tubular shape, with gathering at the underarm, and short sleeves which are extensions of the tube of the dress. Opened at neck and shoulders with draw string fastening across. Five large and five small ornmental glass beads of brown and white are strung onto the drawstring.
[String of beads] Five large and five small ornamental glass beads in brown and white strung onto dress drawstring.

Place of Origin

Venice, Italy (made)

Date

ca. 1920 (made)

Artist/maker

Mariano Fortuny, born 1871 - died 1949 (designer)

Materials and Techniques

Pleated satin with glass beads

Marks and inscriptions

'MADE IN ITALY. FABRIQUE EN ITALIE. FORTUNY DEPOSE.'

Descriptive line

Evening dress of pleated silk with string of glass beads, designed by Fortuny, Venice, ca. 1920

Bibliographic References (Citation, Note/Abstract, NAL no)

Mendes, Valerie. Black In Fashion. London: V&A Publications, 1999.

Exhibition History

Black in Fashion (Victoria and Albert Museum 01/01/1999-31/12/1999)

Categories

Clothing; Fashion; Evening wear; Women's clothes

Collection code

T&F

Qr_O15558
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