"The construction defies any usual dress-making norms."
Curator Jan Glier Reeder on an evening dress by Charles James.
Explore this object:
https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/159364
Throughout 2013, The Met invited curators from across the Museum to each talk about one artwork that changed the way they see the world. Each episode is interpreted by a Museum photographer.
Photography by Karin L. Willis
Selected tracks provided by APM Music
Photograph by Jerry Cooke, © JCA, Inc. 2013
Subscribe for new content from The Met: https://www.youtube.com/user/metmuseum?sub_confirmation=1
#TheMet #ArtExplained #Art
Why Charles James saw himself as a sculptor of fabric
"The construction defies any usual dress-making norms."
Jan Glier Reeder
2 min. watch
Contributors
Jan Glier Reeder
Former Consulting Curator
Former Consulting Curator
More from The Met
The Costume Institute’s spring 2026 exhibition Costume Art asserts the central role of the dressed body throughout art history.
The Costume Institute
May 11
Discover the fascinating roles fans have played across cultures and throughout history.
Ashley E. Dunn and Jane R. Becker
May 5
Video
Max Hollein, The Met's Director and CEO, and Miriam Peterson and Nathan Rich, founders of architecture firm Peterson Rich Office, take you behind the scenes.
Max Hollein
May 4
Art Mentioned
A slider containing 1 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Designer Charles James
1946