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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 typeHaute couture
Marks and inscriptions
  • Printed Schiaparelli label (Stitched inside the centre front)
  • '16,471' (Written in blue on a tape on the back)
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 createdMarch 30, 2007
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