Evening Dress
1935-1937 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Matt crêpe was an enormously popular fashion fabric in the second half of the 1930s, as its stretch-and-cling qualities were perfect for dresses that had to be shaped to follow the body's contours. The back of this matt black crepe dress is cut out nearly to the waist, with revealing additional extra cut-outs at the sides. The sleeves are extremely narrow and tapered, fastening at the wrists with rows of minute buttons and loops. The dress is decorated with interlaced bands of satin down the front and back.
The careful cut and meticulous finish indicate that this item was professionally made, and the long scalloped train identifies it as a garment designed for special occasions.
The careful cut and meticulous finish indicate that this item was professionally made, and the long scalloped train identifies it as a garment designed for special occasions.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk crêpe with satin |
| Brief description | Silk crêpe evening dress, possibly made in London or Paris, 1935-1937 |
| Physical description | Matt black silk crêpe evening dress decorated with interlaced bands of satin. |
| Credit line | Given by Joanna Wellington, in memory of Ella Annesley Voysey |
| Summary | Matt crêpe was an enormously popular fashion fabric in the second half of the 1930s, as its stretch-and-cling qualities were perfect for dresses that had to be shaped to follow the body's contours. The back of this matt black crepe dress is cut out nearly to the waist, with revealing additional extra cut-outs at the sides. The sleeves are extremely narrow and tapered, fastening at the wrists with rows of minute buttons and loops. The dress is decorated with interlaced bands of satin down the front and back. The careful cut and meticulous finish indicate that this item was professionally made, and the long scalloped train identifies it as a garment designed for special occasions. |
| Bibliographic reference | Mendes, Valerie. Black In Fashion. London: V&A Publications, 1999.
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.660-1996 |
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| Record created | February 7, 2003 |
| Record URL |
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