Dress
The ethereal ruffled layers of tulle which make up this dress by British designer Molly Goddard might be reminiscent of the marshmallows and candy cotton swirls at a child's birthday party, yet at the same time they assert a self-conscious female sensibility for their adult wearer. The three-dimensional effects on the bust and the empire waist, blooming into a full skirt give the wearer a statuesque silhouette, echoing the dignity of ancient Goddesses. Whilst perfectly serious, the dress can also be interpreted as a form of camp, a wink to the lost innocence of childhood, as described by Susan Sontag in her 1964 essay "Notes on Camp": "camp is a second childhood."
Artwork Details
- Title: Dress
- Designer: Molly Goddard (British, born London, 1988)
- Date: fall/winter 2016–17
- Culture: British
- Medium: nylon
- Credit Line: Gift of Molly Goddard, 2020
- Object Number: 2020.380
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
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