Evening Dress
1972 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Tiny, bee shaped buttons fasten the bodice of this pale blue evening dress. The sweeping, romantic gown was bought in 1972 to wear as a wedding dress. Bill Gibb’s personal ‘signature’ motif was a bee and it appears on many outfits he designed in the form of embroidered and appliquéd details, belt clasps and buttons. These particular metal bees are enamelled, and fasten through machine-worked buttonholes. Precision made, they stand out clearly against the plain moss crepe fabric, providing a jewel-like focus.
The front and back bodice of this dress has double topstitched seams, echoing the rows of alternating black and yellow topstitching on the flared cuffs, collar and hem, and picking up the bee colours. Long dolman sleeves button at the writs with three additional bees which fasten through loops in matching fabric. A similar dress, but in ivory, was described as ‘Bill Gibb’s Evening Spectacular’ in Vogue, in October 1972.
The front and back bodice of this dress has double topstitched seams, echoing the rows of alternating black and yellow topstitching on the flared cuffs, collar and hem, and picking up the bee colours. Long dolman sleeves button at the writs with three additional bees which fasten through loops in matching fabric. A similar dress, but in ivory, was described as ‘Bill Gibb’s Evening Spectacular’ in Vogue, in October 1972.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Crêpe and enamelled metal |
| Brief description | Full-length blue evening dress of crêpe, designed by Bill Gibb, England, 1972. |
| Physical description | Full-length pale blue evening dress of crêpe with leg o'mutton sleeves, and deep rounded lobed collar and cuffs. Tiny bee shaped enamelled metal buttons fasten the bodice of this sweeping and romantic dress. |
| Marks and inscriptions | 'Bill Gibb London' (Label) |
| Gallery label | The donor chose this evening gown at Lucienne Phillips's designer boutique in Knightsbridge to wear for her wedding. It sweeping circular skirt and medieval feel fulfilled her desire for an unusual bridal gown. It has a shirt-front with a lobed collar, the shape of which is echoed in the extended cuffs. The Bill Gibb emblem - a bee, appears in the form of semi-realistic enamelled buttons providing novel and decorative highlights.(1997) |
| Credit line | Given by Mrs Angela Dixon |
| Object history | Registered File number 1986/1963. The donor purchased this dress from Lucienne Phillips to wear as a wedding dress for her marriage in November 1972. |
| Subject depicted | |
| Summary | Tiny, bee shaped buttons fasten the bodice of this pale blue evening dress. The sweeping, romantic gown was bought in 1972 to wear as a wedding dress. Bill Gibb’s personal ‘signature’ motif was a bee and it appears on many outfits he designed in the form of embroidered and appliquéd details, belt clasps and buttons. These particular metal bees are enamelled, and fasten through machine-worked buttonholes. Precision made, they stand out clearly against the plain moss crepe fabric, providing a jewel-like focus. The front and back bodice of this dress has double topstitched seams, echoing the rows of alternating black and yellow topstitching on the flared cuffs, collar and hem, and picking up the bee colours. Long dolman sleeves button at the writs with three additional bees which fasten through loops in matching fabric. A similar dress, but in ivory, was described as ‘Bill Gibb’s Evening Spectacular’ in Vogue, in October 1972. |
| Bibliographic reference | Wilcox, C. & Mendes, V. Modern Fashion in Detail. London: V&A Publications, 1991, p. 76, ISBN 1 85177 032 1 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.172-1986 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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