Evening ensemble
The Fontana Sisters, founded by sisters Zoë, Micol and Giovanna, opened their design house in Rome in 1943. They became an established Italian name and rose to the height of their success in the 1950s, dressing Roman aristocracy as well as film stars. Audrey Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor and Loretta Young are just some of the well-known clients that dressed in the sister's glamorous creations.
This dress is simple yet elegant, made of a fine silk fabric. The cut of the dress creates a flattering silhouette and there is no doubt that a woman did not feel luxurious when dressed in it for an evening out. Perfectly executed in every respect regarding construction, novelty is added by the addition of the alternating red and cream stripes on the bodice and the stole.
This dress is simple yet elegant, made of a fine silk fabric. The cut of the dress creates a flattering silhouette and there is no doubt that a woman did not feel luxurious when dressed in it for an evening out. Perfectly executed in every respect regarding construction, novelty is added by the addition of the alternating red and cream stripes on the bodice and the stole.
Artwork Details
- Title: Evening ensemble
- Design House: Fontana (Italian, founded 1943)
- Date: 1956
- Culture: Italian
- Medium: silk
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Morehead Patterson, 1972
- Object Number: 2009.300.501a–c
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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