2001.74.2

Object: Evening dress

Brand: Traina-Norell (American, 1941 - 1960)

Designer: Norell (1900 - 1972)

Retailer: Bonwit Teller (American)

Date: c.1947

Medium: Yellow orange silk chiffon gauze

Country: USA

Credit Line: Gift of Beatrice Renfield

Object number: 2001.74.2

DescriptionDaffodil evening gown in yellow / orange silk chiffon gauze, with camisole bodice, tucked cummerbund and full skirt layered with handkerchief-point overskirts; separate rectangular stole

Label Text:The full skirt of Norell's yellow "daffodil" evening dress is layered with handkerchief-point overskirts to create a weightless, flower petal effect. Below the bust a wide, pleated cummerbund inset produces an empire-waistline that accentuates the taut, slender waist. In the absence of surface ornamentation, intense color, combined with Norell's ingenious styling, strikes the perfect balance between casualness and the elegance typical of American Fashion. The soft, petal-like - daffodil - features of this dress are in tune with the romantic spirit that permeated post-war fashions. While Norell regarded his clothing as a reflection of women's lifestyles, his true genius lay in his ability to create clothes that are as beautiful today as they were when first these appeared on the runway.

Exhibitions:

Eleanor Lambert: Empress of Seventh Avenue