Paper Dress
1967 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Paper dresses were a brief but spectacular sensation in Europe and America from 1966 to 1968. They were cheap and disposable, and many were produced as free gifts to promote consumable products. Usually made out of a mix of non-woven cellulose and synthetic fibres, rather than actual paper, they were still prone to tearing and creasing, although some manufacturers claimed that their dresses could be washed. Paper dresses perfectly express the simplicity and wide availability of new, youthful fashions during the decade, as designers and manufacturers explored the commercial potential of unconventional materials, and fresh, bold designs.
Many dresses were printed with abstract and floral designs as well as Pop Art subjects such as this 'Souper' dress, which was produced to promote Campbell's vegetable soup, after Andy Warhol's 'Soup Cans' of 1962.
Many dresses were printed with abstract and floral designs as well as Pop Art subjects such as this 'Souper' dress, which was produced to promote Campbell's vegetable soup, after Andy Warhol's 'Soup Cans' of 1962.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | bonded fibre 'paper' |
| Brief description | A short, sleeveless paper dress, printed with repeating 'Campbell's Soup' design |
| Physical description | A simple, short, sleeveless dress made out of a front and back panel of paper or bonded fibre, printed with 'Campbell's Soup' design. Neckline and arm openings bound with black cotton binding, minimal shaping for bust achieved with a pleat stitched into binding at the front lower edge of each armhole. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Mass produced |
| Summary | Paper dresses were a brief but spectacular sensation in Europe and America from 1966 to 1968. They were cheap and disposable, and many were produced as free gifts to promote consumable products. Usually made out of a mix of non-woven cellulose and synthetic fibres, rather than actual paper, they were still prone to tearing and creasing, although some manufacturers claimed that their dresses could be washed. Paper dresses perfectly express the simplicity and wide availability of new, youthful fashions during the decade, as designers and manufacturers explored the commercial potential of unconventional materials, and fresh, bold designs. Many dresses were printed with abstract and floral designs as well as Pop Art subjects such as this 'Souper' dress, which was produced to promote Campbell's vegetable soup, after Andy Warhol's 'Soup Cans' of 1962. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.66-2016 |
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| Record created | February 2, 2016 |
| Record URL |
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