Medium: Yellow lurex brocade with silver

Date: 1968

Country: USA

Credit: Gift of Dorrance H. Hamilton

The late 1960s were a time of enormous upheaval - and the "youthquake" in fashion was virtually antithetical to Oscar de la Renta's demure femininity. The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, and its breakthrough psychedelia, exposed the western world to eastern philosophy and ushered in the colorful, ethnic hippie look. De la Renta took notice; North Africa, India, and Southeast Asia all became points of reference in his designs. This dress reveals the designer's fascination with other cultures in his use of brocade, a rich oriental silk fabric, and in his choice of decoration - frog closures - that was reminiscent of East Asian dress. "Women think black is the most flattering color, but they're wrong," says de la Renta. The designer frequently employs bright, vivid colors, such as magenta and emerald green. Here, he has selected yellow - the color of sunshine, typically associated with optimism, happiness, and energy. Yellow is also revered by Hindus in India, a region that has influenced many of de la Renta's designs. Men and women attired in yellow celebrate the festival of spring to worship the goddess Saraswati, goddess of learning and wife of Brahma.

Object Number: 78.55.152