Court presentation dress

Design House Boué Soeurs French

Not on view

Protocol regulated the formal attire for men and women who were to be presented at the Court of St. James in London, until the custom was ended in the 20th century. The long train emanating from the shoulders of this gown suggest it may have been worn to for a court presentation in the mid-1920s. An example of the silhouette known as a "robe de style," in which interior boning widens the skirt at either side, the dress was custom-made in the Boué Soeurs atelier. The lamé fabric, paired with a virtuoso examples of ribbon work, identify its couture origins. The elaborate craftsmanship of these elegant ornaments, arranged in a floral basket design, are a characteristic feature of gowns made by the Boué sisters.

Court presentation dress, Boué Soeurs (French, 1897–1957), silk, metal, rhinestones, French

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