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Evening dress
  • Evening dress
    Edward Molyneux, born 1891 - died 1974
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Evening dress

  • Place of origin:

    Paris, France (made)

  • Date:

    1939 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Edward Molyneux, born 1891 - died 1974 (designer)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Ribbed silk, fastened with a metal zip, bone hoops

  • Credit Line:

    Given by Stella, Lady Ednam

  • Museum number:

    T.320-1974

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

  • Image in copyright

Designers offered a variety of styles at the end of the 1930s, including wide-skirted dresses, as alternatives to the clinging bias-cut gowns. In August 1939 Vogue described the scope of the Paris collection: 'Molyneux's hoop-flared day skirts walk beside Lanvin's modern peg-topped hobble skirts; Balenciaga's wide Velázquez paniers dance past Paquin's tightly wrapped mummy skirts'. This creation by Edward Molyneux has its double-tiered, full skirt held out by four bone hoops.

The dress was worn by Stella, Lady Ednam, and forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection. This Collection was brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.

Physical description

Evening dress of pink ribbed silk. The bodice (with a slightly dropped waistline) is softly ruched into the side seams - the left side fastens with a pink metal zip. It is supported by a wide halter strap which is attached to the straight, low neckline. The full skirt is double-tiered, and held out by four bone hoops.

Place of Origin

Paris, France (made)

Date

1939 (made)

Artist/maker

Edward Molyneux, born 1891 - died 1974 (designer)

Materials and Techniques

Ribbed silk, fastened with a metal zip, bone hoops

Object history note

The dress was worn by Stella, Lady Ednam and forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection. With great energy and determination Sir Cecil contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and America to bring this lasting monument to the art of dress. The collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue which detailed its enormous range. (Catalogue 186, page 36)

Descriptive line

Evening dress of ribbed silk, designed by Molyneux, Paris, 1939.

Exhibition History

Fashion: an anthology by Cecil Beaton (Victoria and Albert Museum 01/01/1972-31/12/1972)

Categories

Clothing; Fashion; Evening wear

Collection code

T&F

Qr_O15570
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