Cocktail ensemble
Design House House of Dior French
Designer Yves Saint Laurent French, born Algeria
Not on view
One of Saint Laurent's notable designs was a precisely tailored, tuxedo-inspired jacket paired with either a skirt or trousers in an ensemble known as "le smoking." As an alternative to more traditional feminine evening gowns, this design received a great deal of attention in the 1970s. Two of Saint Laurent's 1959 designs for Dior, however, this ensemble and another from the same gift (2009.300.20a, b), show a much earlier iteration of the idea. While neither is as severe or androgynous as the later versions of "le smoking," both of these cocktail ensembles exhibit characteristics of Saint Laurent's signature menswear-inspired look.
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