First established in the 1890s by the four Callot sisters as a lingerie and lace business, Callot Soeurs evolved into a premier dressmaking house in the early years of the 20th century. By the 1920s, the sisters enjoyed singular prominence in Paris, with a successful business built upon designs like this. Here, the use of pearls and the multifoil hemline trimmed with pearl tassels suggest a Byzantine or hispano-moresque inspiration. Textiles, motifs and designs of Callot garments like this one draw on multi-cultural sources, always in a subtle and refined manner that met the tastes of the fashionable clientele. Madame Gerber, the eldest Callot sister, served as the primary designer for the house until 1927 when her sons took over the business.
