Dress
Designer
Rudi Gernreich
(1922 - 1985)
Retailer
Bonwit Teller
(American)
Manufacturer
Harmon Knitwear
(American, 1960 - 1976)
1965-1972
Black wool knit jersey with pink and green appliquéd circles in same wool jersey
Museum purchase
Object number98.114.1
Rudi Gernreich has taken the ubiquitous black evening dress and contemporized it with appliquéd, Pop Art-inspired circles of green and hot pink. Gernreich is often credited as the first designer to use such boldly contrasting colors, which were best shown against a simple black background. He also liked to incorporate elements of non-Western clothing in unique and playful ways, such as the faux neckline of this dress, which recalls the Chinese cheongsam, a gender-neutral garment that speaks to the designer's interest in unisex fashion.
DescriptionChinese inspired long sleeve evening dress in black wool jersey with mock turtleneck and high side seam split; faux cheongsam neckline created with purple and orange wool knit trim; large, Pop Art circles appliquéd overall in day-glo pink and green wool knit jerseyCollections
Exhibitions