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Cocktail Dress and Jacket

1951 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The overlapping, curved pleats formed into scalloped panels on this bodice front suggest a stylised rendition of receding waves, an impression further enhanced by the deep sea-blue of the fine, slightly stiff, silk fabric. The controlled movement on the curved, fitted bodice is achieved by the dextrous pleating of fabric cut on the bias, fronted with no visible seams.

The scalloped pleating encloses the front torso up to the low, strapless décolletage, and continues across the back in straight, horizontal lines. The bodice fits the figure tightly to the hips and from there the skirt falls in long, soft pleats.


Object details

Categories
Object type
Parts
This object consists of 2 parts.

  • Dress
  • Jacket
Materials and techniques
Silk, silk organza and velvet ribbon, pleated
Brief description
Cocktail dress of silk and jacket of silk organza, designed by Jean Dessès, Paris, 1951.
Physical description
Cocktail dress of blue silk and jacket of blue silk organza.
Styles
Production typeHaute couture
Marks and inscriptions
'Jean Desses 17 Avenue Matignon Paris' (Label)
Gallery label
[Cocktail Dress case] Afternoon dress (robe après-midi habillée) Jean Dessès (1904-70) Paris About 1951 The London Illustrated magazine said that after her eighteenth birthday Princess Margaret began to appear in public as a 'grown up personality'. 'She experimented boldly with her clothes and hairstyles, and adopted the then very New Look.' The bodice of this dress is achieved by the dextrous pleating of fabric cut on the bias. Silk Given by Princess Margaret V&A: T.237-1986(22/09/2007-06/01/2008)
Credit line
Worn and given by HRH Princess Margaret
Object history
Registered File number 1985/2045.
Worn by HRH Princess Margaret.
Summary
The overlapping, curved pleats formed into scalloped panels on this bodice front suggest a stylised rendition of receding waves, an impression further enhanced by the deep sea-blue of the fine, slightly stiff, silk fabric. The controlled movement on the curved, fitted bodice is achieved by the dextrous pleating of fabric cut on the bias, fronted with no visible seams.

The scalloped pleating encloses the front torso up to the low, strapless décolletage, and continues across the back in straight, horizontal lines. The bodice fits the figure tightly to the hips and from there the skirt falls in long, soft pleats.
Bibliographic references
  • Wilcox, C. & Mendes, V. Modern Fashion in Detail. London: V&A Publications, 1991, p. 36, ISBN 1 85177 032 1
  • Kensington Palace dress collection
  • Stanfill, S. 'Jean Dessès' in Wilcox, C., ed., The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-1957. London: V&A Publications, 2007. p. 84-5 and pl. 3.17
Collection
Accession number
T.237&A-1986

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Record createdDecember 15, 1999
Record URL
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