Evening dress
Jean Dessés originally travelled to Paris from Egypt to study law and diplomacy; however, he soon discovered that his true passion was designing. He opened his own couture house in Paris in 1937 and became known for his characteristic twists and gathers which he magically executed on a variety of fabrics. Considered his best work are his evening dresses of chiffon, which have the appearance of classical sculpture. He favored ombré fabrics and colors other than black, such as Wedgwood blue, old rose, taupe, eggplant, green, brown, pale grays, faint pinks, and whites.
With this evening dress, Dessés has combined the full skirted silhouette of the period with his draping techniques. The bodice of the dress consists of woven strips of chiffon, which release into the full skirt, supported by petticoats. The loosely gathered chiffon straps and draped neckline soften the bodice. Each element of the dress is characteristic of Dessés finest work.
With this evening dress, Dessés has combined the full skirted silhouette of the period with his draping techniques. The bodice of the dress consists of woven strips of chiffon, which release into the full skirt, supported by petticoats. The loosely gathered chiffon straps and draped neckline soften the bodice. Each element of the dress is characteristic of Dessés finest work.
Artwork Details
- Title: Evening dress
- Designer: Jean Dessès (French (born Egypt), Alexandria 1904–1970 Athens)
- Date: ca. 1955
- Culture: French
- Medium: silk
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mary Sefton Thomas, 1986
- Object Number: 2009.300.559
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Jean Dessès
ca. 1950
Jean Dessès
1953
Jean Dessès
1949
Jean Dessès
early 1950s
Jean Dessès
1949
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.