Evening dress
The patron saint of lace makers is Saint Anne, mother of Mary. Maternal and feminine, immaculate and important, the traditions of lace making have been associated for centuries with the finest in dress. Lace embellishments to court dress from both men and women were evidence of power displayed through a craft. Hand-appliquéd lace defies the machine aesthetic and convenience in as palpable a form as any. The white-on-white relief of guipure is a small allover sculpture articulating the surface of a very modest, even elementary, silhouette. Saint Laurent knows that ethereal hand craft garniture is most effective when combined with an unpretentious modern structure.
Artwork Details
- Title: Evening dress
- Design House: Yves Saint Laurent (French, founded 1961)
- Designer: Yves Saint Laurent (French (born Algeria) Oran 1936–2008 Paris)
- Date: spring/summer 1963
- Culture: French
- Medium: cotton, silk, pearl, plastic
- Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. Charles B. Wrightsman, 1964
- Object Number: C.I.64.59.7a, b
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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