Evening Dress
1956 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Pierre Balmain maintained that 'the basic job of a couturier . . . is to dress women for everyday living' (My Years and Seasons, 1964). For his clientele, normal life often involved numerous grand evening occasions, and Balmain is perhaps best known for the lavish ball-gowns he created for these events. The vertically looped ribbon decoration and the full, long skirt of this dress were inspired by 18th- and 19th-century garments.
This dress was worn by Lady Elizabeth von Hofmannsthal and forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection. This Collection was brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.
This dress was worn by Lady Elizabeth von Hofmannsthal and forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection. This Collection was brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.
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Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Satin duchesse, decorated with ribbon, mounted on a boned foundation, with many-tiered, stiffened net and underlined with silk crepeline |
| Brief description | Satin evening dress, designed by Pierre Balmain, Paris, 1956. |
| Physical description | Full length evening dress of yellow satin duchesse. It has a tightly fitted, strapless bodice and a bouffant skirt. The bodice has a boned corset foundation, and the skirt has a triangular central panel trimmed and edged with looped bands and a bow. The underskirts are of many tiered stiffened net. The satin is underlined throughout in silk crepeline and the dress fastens at the left side with a zip. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Haute couture |
| Gallery label | Evening dress (robe du soir)
Pierre Balmain (1914-82)
Paris
1956
'Technical perfection', said Balmain, 'is not enough. To be a couturier means offering women a certain standard of excellence. The most difficult thing is not to be extravagant, but to know when to stop.' The looped ribbon decoration and the crinoline skirt of this dress were inspired by 18th-century fashion.
Duchesse satin
Given by Lady Elizabeth von Hofmannsthal
V&A: T.49-1974(22/09/2007-06/01/2008) |
| Credit line | Given by Lady Elizabeth von Hofmannsthal |
| Object history | This dress was worn by Lady Elizabeth von Hofmannsthal and forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection.With great energy and determination the late Sir Cecil Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and America to bring this lasting monument to the art of dress. The collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue which detailed its enormous range (catalogue number 35, page 19). |
| Subject depicted | |
| Association | |
| Summary | Pierre Balmain maintained that 'the basic job of a couturier . . . is to dress women for everyday living' (My Years and Seasons, 1964). For his clientele, normal life often involved numerous grand evening occasions, and Balmain is perhaps best known for the lavish ball-gowns he created for these events. The vertically looped ribbon decoration and the full, long skirt of this dress were inspired by 18th- and 19th-century garments. This dress was worn by Lady Elizabeth von Hofmannsthal and forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection. This Collection was brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.49-1974 |
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| Record created | December 15, 1999 |
| Record URL |
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