APPLIED ART : COSTUME

Object Name: Evening Dress
Maker: Madame Gres (Primary maker)
Madame Gres
Date Made: 1950 circa
1950 circa
Place Made: France
France
Description: colour : black and pink. design : evening dress of black ribbed silk full skirt and bodice of lilac satin with batwing sleeves, three quater length. From early 200s exhibition label: Corded silk and satin cocktail dress, c. 1950 Madame Gres (1903-93) Everything about this dress - its full, long skirts, its tiny wasist, its feminine plain colour and its soft shoulderline is in the sharpest contrast with the wartime and austerity fashions. All Paris designers speedily caught up with the ideas of Christian Dior's 'New Look'. In pre-war years Mme. Gres worked under her christian name 'Alix' but when she re-opned in 1942 she used her husband's name, and was always referred to with the respectful 'Madame' title. She is probabl best known for her sculptural draped gowns, but as can ben seen here her tailoring skills and skill in working with contrasting fabrics were just as notable. From exhibition label 'Grand Designers' Born in Paris in 1903, Alix Barton originally trained as a painter, and sold toiles to fashion houses under the name 'Alix.' She opnedhew own shop 'Madame Gres' during the German occupation in Paris. Although Gres was Jewish, the Nazis allowed her to carry on her business even though she refused to dress their wives. She was influenced by Greek sculptures and draped silk jersey directly onto her mannequins, in order to cut the cloth.
Materials: silk, ribbed & satin
Catalogue Number: BELUM.T1008
Copyright: National Museums NI

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