Blouse
1914-15 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
This silk blouse combines the skills of the textile and fashion designers of the Wiener Werkstätte. Founded in Vienna in 1903, it began as an idealistic association of designers and makers who wanted to preserve high-quality craft manufacture. Its fashion department was founded in 1910 under the direction of Eduard Wimmer. This blouse was produced there and is an important part of its history.
The Italian Ugo Zovetti, who worked for the company between 1910 and 1912, designed the printed silk on this blouse. It was known as the ‘Mikado’ pattern. The actual design of the blouse bears close similarities to the work of Wimmer and is most probably by him. However, it is also comparable to some of the work of fellow-designer Dagobert Peche.
The blouse also illustrates the company’s decision to use its printed silks for fashion at the outset of the First World War. In November 1914 a section in the fashion department was set up specifically for making blouses. The minutes of the sixth session (9 October 1915) of the Board of Directors states: ‘our printed silks, previously used for the most part in the interior decorating branch, have now…found a wide-ranging demand in the clothing industry’.
The Italian Ugo Zovetti, who worked for the company between 1910 and 1912, designed the printed silk on this blouse. It was known as the ‘Mikado’ pattern. The actual design of the blouse bears close similarities to the work of Wimmer and is most probably by him. However, it is also comparable to some of the work of fellow-designer Dagobert Peche.
The blouse also illustrates the company’s decision to use its printed silks for fashion at the outset of the First World War. In November 1914 a section in the fashion department was set up specifically for making blouses. The minutes of the sixth session (9 October 1915) of the Board of Directors states: ‘our printed silks, previously used for the most part in the interior decorating branch, have now…found a wide-ranging demand in the clothing industry’.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Silk satin lined with cotton and trimmed with net, fastened with hooks, eyes and mother of pearl buttons; machine-stitched and hand finished |
| Brief description | Blouse, Wiener Werkstätte, German, 1914-15; made up in Ugo Zovetti 'Mikado' print. Probably designed by Eduard Wimmer or Dagobert Peche |
| Physical description | This silk blouse is printed in red on purple ground with the 'Mikado' pattern by Ugo Zovetti. It has a small collar and purple silk frill down the front which is fastened with hooks and eyes and mother-of-pearl buttons. The cuffs, neck and front fastening are trimmed with cream net. It is gathered at the waist to give the impression of a loose-fitting blouse, although there is a waist tie inside. AWiener Werkstätte label has been handstitched onto the cotton lining at the neck. |
| Gallery label | International Arts & Crafts
Among the most successful and influential departments in the Wiener Werkstatte were fashion and textiles. In 1914 the fashion department set up a special section for making blouses. It was the first time that the Werkstatte had used patterned textiles in dress as opposed to interior decoration.(17/03/2005) |
| Summary | This silk blouse combines the skills of the textile and fashion designers of the Wiener Werkstätte. Founded in Vienna in 1903, it began as an idealistic association of designers and makers who wanted to preserve high-quality craft manufacture. Its fashion department was founded in 1910 under the direction of Eduard Wimmer. This blouse was produced there and is an important part of its history. The Italian Ugo Zovetti, who worked for the company between 1910 and 1912, designed the printed silk on this blouse. It was known as the ‘Mikado’ pattern. The actual design of the blouse bears close similarities to the work of Wimmer and is most probably by him. However, it is also comparable to some of the work of fellow-designer Dagobert Peche. The blouse also illustrates the company’s decision to use its printed silks for fashion at the outset of the First World War. In November 1914 a section in the fashion department was set up specifically for making blouses. The minutes of the sixth session (9 October 1915) of the Board of Directors states: ‘our printed silks, previously used for the most part in the interior decorating branch, have now…found a wide-ranging demand in the clothing industry’. |
| Bibliographic reference | Livingstone, Karen & Parry, Linda (eds.), International Arts and Crafts, London : V&A Publications, 2005
p.227 |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | T.47-2004 |
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| Record created | May 10, 2004 |
| Record URL |
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