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