Epigram
Cocktail Dress
1960 (made)
1960 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This cocktail dress of slubbed black silk designed by Hardy Amies dates from 1960. Dresses of this style were very popular at that time, owing to the boom in cocktail parties that had begun in the 1950s. A cocktail dress falls somewhere between a day dress and an evening gown. This one is a typical example of the period, with its small sleeves and short skirt..
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Epigram (assigned by artist) |
| Materials and techniques | Machine-sewn slubbed silk, lined and boned |
| Brief description | Cocktail dress 'Epigram' in slubbed machine-sewn silk, designed by Hardy Amies, London, 1960 |
| Physical description | Cocktail dress in slubbed black machine-sewn silk. It is fully lined, and the bodice has a boned construction. The inner section fastens using hooks and eyes and the outer section fastens with a zip. The dress has a lowered waistline and an elongated bib front. It has a square neckline. |
| Dimensions |
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| Production type | Haute couture |
| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Worn and given by Mrs John Rickett |
| Object history | Registered File number 1988/256. |
| Historical context | The 1950s experienced a boom in cocktail parties and the wearing of a little black dress was de rigueur. Fitting in somewhere between a day dress and an evening gown, the cocktail dress usually featured diminutive sleeves and a short skirt. |
| Production | Reason For Production: Commission |
| Summary | This cocktail dress of slubbed black silk designed by Hardy Amies dates from 1960. Dresses of this style were very popular at that time, owing to the boom in cocktail parties that had begun in the 1950s. A cocktail dress falls somewhere between a day dress and an evening gown. This one is a typical example of the period, with its small sleeves and short skirt.. |
| Bibliographic reference | Mendes, Valerie. Black In Fashion. London: V&A Publications, 1999. P.82-3
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.65-1988 |
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| Record created | December 12, 2002 |
| Record URL |
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