Dress

Valentino, a designer whose work is notable for its advocacy of the unambiguously feminine, addresses Mrs. Kempner's requirements for comfort and glamor with two of his pleated evening gowns. Unlike Saint Laurent, who flirted with androgynous and subtly transgressive effects, Valentino prefers an elegance consistently inflected by an alluring prettiness. This notable example is in the designer's signature color, the brilliant Valentino red. Executed in silk chiffon, it is an example of the Valentino atelier's unsurpassed skill in working with this fragile and particularly difficult fabric. The gown sheaths the body while the ease of the skirt suggests a freedom of movement and comfort prized by the client. Mrs. Kempner met Valentino when he was an assistant to Jean Dessès, a designer noted for his virtuosity with draped effects. Valentino's rigorous early apprenticeship with Dessès informs his work.