Dress

(b–c) Saks Fifth Avenue American

Not on view

American ready-to-wear became even more abundant during the 1950s and retailers were sure to offer a variety of silhouettes to their clients. In addition to the New Look, there was also a slim, fitted silhouette and a boxy style. In 1957, Balenciaga introduced the sack back dress and reproductions were quickly distributed. A fresh look, women began buying this new dress by the thousand, threatening the full-skirted silhouette. Featured here is an example of this style in a colorful floral pattern, complete with matching pumps.

Dress, (b–c) Saks Fifth Avenue (American, founded 1924), silk, American

Due to rights restrictions, this image cannot be enlarged, viewed at full screen, or downloaded.

Open Access

As part of the Met's Open Access policy, you can freely copy, modify and distribute this image, even for commercial purposes.

API

Public domain data for this object can also be accessed using the Met's Open Access API.