Ensemble

spring/summer 1999

Not on view

Olivier Theyskens' early work for his eponymous label is characterized by a combination of high-level craftsmanship and a romantic, gothic aura with which the gowns are imbued. The designer's natural talent for cutting and draping can be seen in this dress's voluminous skirt as well as the sharply cut bodice, which has a cross-shaped opening fastened with hooks and eyes, a signature design element in his work. Reminiscent of medieval crusaders and religious orders, the dress is both austere as well as sensual, typical of a certain melancholic beauty inherent to his work. The contrast between the sharply cut bodice and the overflowing fabric of the skirt characterizes the spirit of Theyskens' work built on creative tensions between the disciplined and the languorous, between Eros and Thanatos.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Exhibition History

Title: Ensemble
Designer: Olivier Theyskens (Belgian, born 1977)
Date: spring/summer 1999
Culture: Belgian
Medium: (a, b) silk, metal; (c, d) leather, metal
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of The Costume Institute Gifts, 2019
Object Number: 2019.26a–d
Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute

More Artwork

By Olivier Theyskens

In the same medium

From the same time and place

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Ensemble, Olivier Theyskens Belgian, (a) wool, synthetic fiber, horsehair, metal; (b) wool, metal, Belgian — Ensemble
Olivier Theyskens
spring/summer 1999

Ensemble, Olivier Theyskens Belgian, (a) cotton, jet, metal; (b) silk, jet, mother-of-pearl; (c) leather, synthetic fiber, metal; (d, e) leather, plastic, Belgian — Ensemble
Olivier Theyskens
spring/summer 1998

Ensemble, Olivier Theyskens Belgian, (a) linen, plastic, cotton, metal; (b) linen, metal; (c, d) leather, Belgian — Ensemble
Olivier Theyskens
fall/winter 1999–2000

"Fleurs Fanées", Olivier Theyskens Belgian, silk, Belgian — "Fleurs Fanées"
Olivier Theyskens
spring/summer 2022

Ensemble, Olivier Theyskens Belgian, (a) silk, (b) silk, (c, d) silk, (e) silk, (f, g) silk, metal, plastic, (h, i) leather, silk, Belgian — Ensemble
Olivier Theyskens
fall/winter 2000–01

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