Unlike Madeleine Vionnet, Alix who later became known as Mme Gres did not work her way up through her back workrooms of couture houses accumulating a repertoire of dressmaking skills. She was trained as a sculptress and cloth became her medium. In this sense, she was free from traditional restraints and sought new creative solutions. This dress is constructed out of two pieces with no attempt to use the bias. The lack of side seams emphasizes its sculptural quality, and darts are placed only at the back of the neck.

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• vintage
• , wear
• , dress

Evening dress of black silk crepe inset with silver lame-tissue. The bodice is vertically bisected and extends over the shoulders into a floating looped panel in the back. The neckline is edged with a twisted roll of fabric extending into straps in the back. The skirt is long and bias cut. There is a snap aperture at the center front. There is an interior waistband which holds the dress in place. See accompanying construction drawing.

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• vintage
• , wear
• , dress

Dress of ivory silk chameuse embroidered with metal thread and pale coral and blue beads. The dress has a scooped neckline in the front but extends from the shoulders straight across the back, a blouson bodice to only a very slightly dropped waistline and a skirt which consists of two large scallops which reach mid-calf in the front and almost the floor in the back. The sides of the bodice are completely open and the skirt closes above knee level. It probably had a custom made slip to knee level which has been lost. The beadwork and metal embroidery is in a medallion motif possibly stylized pomegranite inspired by the movement later known as Art Deco and is very similar to that found on Callot Soeurs in numerous collections including that of the Costume Institute at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. Label: Henri Bendel. They were known to buy French couture samples to reproduce for their clients.

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• vintage
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• , dress

Just as the work of artists is identifiable by its brushwork, materials and composition, so is the work of Madeleine Vionnet. This attribution to her is based on the construction pattern which involves a single pattern piece for the red underdress: no shoulder seams; the side seams in the normal place; double darts at the bust. However, the chiffon overdress has seams at the shoulders but not at the sides. Its two halves are joined at the centre front and back. The arrangement of seams enhances the sculptural quality of the dress by refusing to align the pattern pieces in terms of a conventional front and back.

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• vintage
• , wear
• , dress

The reversible daycoat of dusty peach wool serge, lined in cream coloured serge has full long sleeves,and wide shawl collar extending to the shoulder line,and creating a triangular shape in the back, giving the illusion of a hood.

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• coat
• , vintage
• , wear

Dress of black paper taffeta with a fitted bodice, wide U shaped neckline, voluminous full ankle length skirt, short sleeves with pale blue velvet border and a double contoured ruffle of silk tulle tamboured (embroidered net) with antiqued silver thread in a scrolling foliate motif. The dress is edged with a fine piping along the neckline, waist, sleeves. Three layers of this piping are also used decoratively in a band 10inches above the hem. A pink silk flower gives added whimsy to an already highly romantic dress. This " picture" has the silhouette for which Lanvin was renowned. While the rest of the fashion world was creating rectangular shaped flapper dresses, she persevered with the feminine silhouette of this dress.

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• vintage
• , wear
• , dress

Three piece riding ensemble consisting of a jacket, side saddle riding skirt and trousers of finely spun and tightly woven brown and white linen herringbone. The fitted boned jacket has a high V-shaped neckline with small collar, multiple button frontal closure, long narrow sleeves with slight gathers at the shoulders and a small tailored peplem in the back accentuated with closed pleats and buttons. Striped cotton pique cuffs are sewn so that they may be removed for washing. The skirt is long and shaped on one side. The pants legs are long and narrow with elastic bands which button at the ankles and pass around the feet to hold the trouser legs in place. There is no extra fullness at the sides as in the later jodhpur. Instead there is extra space in the seat.

tags:

• black and white
• , vintage
• , wear

Two piece ballgown consisting of a bodice and skirt of beige gold lame embroidered with gold thread and sequins and diamente in a motif of lightening bolts and light blue satin appliqued with dark beige chiffon and chenille threads in a cloud pattern. The boned bodice is trimmed with silk illusion at the neckline and under the sleeves. Wired clouds form the small sleeves which are supported underneath by tulle. A wraparound diagonal blue satin wedge conceals part of the hook and tie closure. The front and sides of the skirt consist of the same lightening motif as the bodice. Inserted into the back of the skirt from the waist is an enormous blue satin train appliqued with beige chiffon clouds outlined with tulle. This dress symbolizes a storm with clouds and lightening. Stylistically the surface pattern is inspired by Art Nouveau and Japonism.

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• vintage
• , wear
• , dress

The size, colour and quality of this dress indicate that the original wearer was probably a married woman with children since its opulence would have been considered in poor taste on an unmarried woman at this time. Social mores in the major centers of Boston, New York and Philadelphia further required that the original wearers keep their Paris fashions in the closet unworn for six months to two years, depending on the specific location, to avoid appearing ostentatious. The princess line construction which appears intermittently over the next 100 years(No. 94, 111) streamlines the body. The embroidered panel down the center front breaks the massiveness of the form and hence flatters the figure of the original wearer.

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• vintage
• , wear
• , dress

When cars replaced horses as the mode of elitist transportation at the beginning of the twentieth century, dusters, the light weight coat used to protect fine dress fabrics gained in popularity. However, this duster predates the autombile and is a rare proyotype. The simplicity of its fabric enhances its sculptural volumes and gives it an aura of classic modernity.

tags:

• coat
• , vintage
• , wear

The dress was made from one pattern piece with the centre front, back and sides falling on a perfect bias. Slits form the aperture for the head and arms. Fluted hanging sleeves and an uneven hemline accentuate the drape. Although other one piece constructions may have existed, this is the first one using the bias and in this case in all four directions of the quadrant.

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• vintage
• , wear
• , dress

The construction pattern of this dress has the center front and back of the velours au sabre falling onto the perfect bias as well as the asymmetric train. Using reductionist construction pattern methods, these three main features were incorporated into one pattern piece. The body of the straight bandeau bodice is also a single piece. The label Altman only indicates the retailer who purchased original Parisian couture samples to sell and copy for clients. Since the quality of Altman's workroom was superb, it may be impossible to determine whether this is an original dress by Callot Soeurs or a licensed copy madein America.

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• vintage
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• , dress

Conservative, luxurious fabrics of purely european origin including a piece of heirloom lace have been used in a style inspired by a Middle Eastern tunic top though using western construction techniques.

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• vintage
• , wear
• , dress

Evening gown of black silk velvet embroidered with jet beads in a motif of roses, custom designed to the shape of the dress. The dress consists of a slightly blouson bodice with a slightly raised waistline suggestive of an empire revival style and a low decolltage and a long narrow skirt which extends into a train at the back. The pattern of the surface decoration was custom designed to the shape of the dress and accentuates its feeling of elongation. The short sleeves are made of silk tulle.

tags:

• vintage
• , wear
• , dress