Evening dress

1938

Not on view

Monkey fur became fashionable during the mid- to late-1930s, although it tended to be the reserve of the more adventurous. At a Paris theater, the Honorable Mrs. Reginald Fellowes appeared wearing a black monkey-fur cape by Paquin. As Janet Flanner commented, "Few of the audience in the first rows looked at the stage during the first act: the star of the evening for their eyes was Mrs. Fellowes' cape."

Although the fabric and silhouette recalls the innocence and sweetness of a jeune fille dress, the use of monkey fur, strategically placed, introduces a surrealistic 'coming of age' feel.

Artwork Details

Object Information

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Exhibition History

Title: Evening dress
Design House: House of Paquin (French, 1891–1956)
Designer: Ana de Pombo (Spanish, 1900–1985)
Retailer: Hattie Carnegie, Inc. (American, 1918–1965)
Date: 1938
Culture: French
Medium: silk, cotton, fur
Credit Line: Gift of Mrs. John Chambers Hughes, 1958
Object Number: C.I.58.34.20a, b
Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute

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