Evening ensemble
Brand
Christian Dior
(French, founded 1947)
Designer
Christian Dior
(1905 - 1957)
Fall 1948
Acetate satin
Gift of Mr. Rodman A. Heeren
Object number70.57.48
Christian Dior's New Look of 1947 swept the world of fashion. Suddenly, the boxy, man-tailored styles of the war years were démodé, replaced by an ultra-feminine style characterized by luxurious, long, full skirts and hourglass bodices. The emergent style of nostalgic femininity established the dominant fashionable silhouette for the next decade. Paris was once again the international capital of fashion, and Christian Dior was the world's most famous designer, attracting up to 25,000 visitors to see his collections each season. This strapless, off-white satin evening ensemble from the "Zig-Zag" collection of fall/winter 1948 sought to "give the figure the animated look of a drawing." Its dominant characteristic is the use of asymmetry (zig-zags), especially for the neckline.
DescriptionIvory acetate satin evening ensemble with two-piece strapless dress and one sleeve stole; coutureExhibitions