Evening Dress
1949 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Strapless evening dress of black silk jersey, ruched and gathered from top to bottom. Ankle length. Metal zipper in the front, over pelvic area, vestigal tail and 'spine' formed by ruching down the front of the dress. Shaped strapless top with a boned black silk foundation. The bodice fastens at the centre back with hooks and eyes, and the skirt hooks up to the bodice on the right hand side of the front.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk jersey, boned, metal |
| Brief description | Strapless evening dress of silk jersey, designed by Elsa Schiaparelli, Paris, ca. 1949 |
| Physical description | Strapless evening dress of black silk jersey, ruched and gathered from top to bottom. Ankle length. Metal zipper in the front, over pelvic area, vestigal tail and 'spine' formed by ruching down the front of the dress. Shaped strapless top with a boned black silk foundation. The bodice fastens at the centre back with hooks and eyes, and the skirt hooks up to the bodice on the right hand side of the front. |
| Production type | Haute couture |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Given by Madame Elsa Schiaparelli |
| Object history | Photo The Surreal Body, pg. 81 The dress has a spine which starts at the CF zipper and extends to hem Photo Notes: Bodice front: exposed zipper in the front turns into the spine. Skirt Front: shows fabric shirred on central cord. Label: French label Spine edge front: resembles stingray Bodice back: wraps around Bodice open: bodice semi attached to the skirt. Jan G. Reeder, Curator, The Costume Institute, The Metropolitan Museum of Art Taken May, 2011, Compiled September, 2011 |
| Historical context | This dress is very similar to Schiaparelli's 1949 design, "Forbidden Fruit". See illustration in Blum, p.273, which shows the same use of ruching/straplessness, and also the distinctive pelvic zipper. Although acquired as 1945, 1949 is probably the more realistic date. - Daniel Milford-Cottam Bibilography Blum, Dilys E. Shocking! The Art and Fashion of Elsa Schiaparelli, Philadelphia Museum of Art, 2003 |
| Production | Acquired as 1945, but is probably 1949. See history section Reason For Production: Commission |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.49-1965 |
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| Record created | March 30, 2007 |
| Record URL |
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