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Evening dress with glove - Watteau

Watteau

  • Object:

    Evening dress with glove

  • Place of origin:

    Great Britain (made)

  • Date:

    1996 (made)

  • Artist/Maker:

    Vivienne Westwood, born 1941 (designer)

  • Materials and Techniques:

    Shot silk faille, taffeta and deerskin

  • Credit Line:

    Given by the designer

  • Museum number:

    T.438:1 to 4-1996

  • Gallery location:

    In Storage

Contemporary designers continue explore the past for inspiration. Here, Vivienne Westwood looks to the 18th century. The suggestion of side hoops and the double box-pleats at the back echo 18th century fashion. The design subverts the sack worn by women in Watteau’s paintings, yet the gown’s deliberate asymmetry, with a single off-shoulder style and a polonaise pouf on only one side, gives it a thoroughly contemporary look. A white organdie version of this dress was designed for Lady Bianca Job-Tyroan in 1994 for the Queen Charlotte’s Ball. Westwood often subverts historical references in her designs, which has led her to continually produce innovative and original clothing since her first collections in the mid-1970s.

Physical description

Green and lilac shot silk faille and taffeta three-piece evening gown including a skirt, corset and white deerskin glove.

Place of Origin

Great Britain (made)

Date

1996 (made)

Artist/maker

Vivienne Westwood, born 1941 (designer)

Materials and Techniques

Shot silk faille, taffeta and deerskin

Descriptive line

Shot silk and taffeta three-piece 'Watteau' evening gown including a skirt, corset and deerskin glove, designed by Vivienne Westwood, Great Britain, 1996

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

De La Haye, Amy, ed. The Cutting Edge: 50 Years of British Fashion 1947-1997. London: V&A Publications, 1997. p. 83.

Production Note

Spring / Summer 1996

Materials

Shot silk; Taffeta

Categories

Fashion; Evening wear; Textiles; Women's clothes; Leather

Collection

Textiles and Fashion Collection

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