Medium: Blue silk crepe

Date: 1926

Country: France

Credit: Gift of Mrs. Georges Gudefin

The simple silhouette of this dress belies a sophisticated design that incorporates construction details as subtle forms of embellishment. In addition to the shaped yoke and covered buttons, this technique is most evident at the dropped waistline: Chanel created the effect of a waistband by topstitching the box pleats, releasing them into soft gathers on the bodice, for a bloused effect. The precise rows of stitching evoke quilting, one of Chanel's signature motifs. She created several versions of this dress in woven and knit fabrics, using a single color for each one. The style recalls the functionality and uniformity of the attire she would have worn as a young schoolgirl, translated here into the streamlined modernism that defined much of Chanel's daywear.

Object Number: 80.13.3