Dress Fabric thumbnail 1
Not on display

Dress Fabric

1928-1929 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This dress fabric is made of lightweight wool and silk. It is printed with a bold pattern of overlapping planes of green, beige and white, outlined in black. It was made for use by Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel in 1929. The selvage has the words ‘Tricot Chanel’ and its design registration number, 272020, stamped upon it.

In the 1920s Chanel began producing jersey textiles under the name of Les Tricots Chanel in partnership with a textile factory in Asnières-sur-Seine. This enabled her to control her own production and guarantee exclusive designs for her couture collections. She employed the multidisciplinary artist Ilia Zdanevich, known as Iliazd, as a textile designer. In 1928 Chanel took over the factory at Asnières and established a new company, Tissus Chanel.

Chanel used printed fabrics for coat linings worn with matching dresses, which became one of her design trademarks.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Printed wool and silk
Brief description
Dress fabric of printed wool and silk, manufactured by Tricots Chanel, Asnières-sur-Seine, France, 1928-29.
Physical description
Plain weave, lightweight fabric of wool and silk, printed with an abstract pattern of irregular meandering vertical bands in dark and light green, beige, and cream outlined in black. T.193-1975 and T.195-1975 are the same design in different colourways.
Dimensions
  • Board width: 52cm (Maximum) (Note: Textile is stitched to a fabric-covered board. )
  • Board length: 41cm (Maximum) (Note: Textile is stitched to a fabric-covered board. )
  • Textile length: 40cm (Maximum)
  • Textile width: 50cm (Maximum)
Measured by conservation
Style
Marks and inscriptions
'Tricots Chanel' (1) Makers's mark; French; Selvedge; Stamping)
Gallery label
[Gabrielle Chanel. Fashion Manifesto exhibition, September 2023 - March 2024] BRITISH CHANEL FABRICS In the late 1920s, Chanel was spending time in Britain due to her relationship with the Duke of Westminster. She opened a salon in Mayfair and was considering possible British business ventures. In February 1929, she registered these textile designs in various colourways. They were the only designs that she ever registered in Britain. Tricots Chanel textile samples 1929 Printed silk and wool crepe V&A: T.191, 192, 194-1975 Given by the Manchester Design Registry(16/09/2023)
Credit line
Given by the Manchester Design Registry
Production
Made for use by Coco Chanel.
Summary
This dress fabric is made of lightweight wool and silk. It is printed with a bold pattern of overlapping planes of green, beige and white, outlined in black. It was made for use by Gabrielle 'Coco' Chanel in 1929. The selvage has the words ‘Tricot Chanel’ and its design registration number, 272020, stamped upon it.

In the 1920s Chanel began producing jersey textiles under the name of Les Tricots Chanel in partnership with a textile factory in Asnières-sur-Seine. This enabled her to control her own production and guarantee exclusive designs for her couture collections. She employed the multidisciplinary artist Ilia Zdanevich, known as Iliazd, as a textile designer. In 1928 Chanel took over the factory at Asnières and established a new company, Tissus Chanel.

Chanel used printed fabrics for coat linings worn with matching dresses, which became one of her design trademarks.
Associated objects
Other number
272020 - Manufacturer's number
Collection
Accession number
T.194-1975

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Record createdJanuary 10, 2008
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