Evening Dress thumbnail 1
Evening Dress thumbnail 2
Not on display

Evening Dress

1947 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

With its late 1930s overtones, this dress has a bias-cut wrap-over skirt, and skims the body. The fabric was manufactured by the Ascher textile company, and designed by artist Feliks Topolski on commission. Topolski’s semi-abstract cherub design made an ideal print for this fluid garment.

During the 1940s the Aschers commissioned leading artists such as Matisse and Henry Moore to design a collection of fabrics to brighten up the dull post-war British wardrobe, and from 1946 Ascher supplied fabrics to the international fashion industry. They opened their own printworks and became known for lively screen printed designs.

Object details

Categories
Object type
Materials and techniques
Printed crêpe
Brief description
Evening dress of printed crêpe, Rima Model, fabric designed by Feliks Topolski for Ascher Ltd, Great Britain, 1947.
Physical description
Evening dress of printed crêpe. Bias-cut wrap-over dress with gathered sleeves and an asymmetrical skirt. Printed in a semi-abstract cherub design.
Dimensions
  • Circumference: 885mm (Note: bust)
  • Circumference: 620mm (Note: waist)
  • Length: 1595mm
  • Width: 485mm (Note: shoulder (padded) to shoulder seam)
Style
Gallery label
With its late 1930s overtones, this dress has a bias-cut wrap-over skirt and skims the body. Feliks Topolski and Zika Ascher enjoyed a close working relationship. Topolski's semi-abstract cherub design made an ideal print for this fluid garment. Interviewed in 1986, the artist spoke of postwar problems involving lack of good silks and colours, nasty textures and bad dyes.(1997)
Object history
Purchased. Registered File number 1985/2267.
Subject depicted
Summary
With its late 1930s overtones, this dress has a bias-cut wrap-over skirt, and skims the body. The fabric was manufactured by the Ascher textile company, and designed by artist Feliks Topolski on commission. Topolski’s semi-abstract cherub design made an ideal print for this fluid garment.

During the 1940s the Aschers commissioned leading artists such as Matisse and Henry Moore to design a collection of fabrics to brighten up the dull post-war British wardrobe, and from 1946 Ascher supplied fabrics to the international fashion industry. They opened their own printworks and became known for lively screen printed designs.
Collection
Accession number
T.505-1985

About this object record

Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.

You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.

Suggest feedback

Record createdAugust 21, 2003
Record URL
Download as: JSON