Evening coat, ca. 1925
French
Silk, fur, metal
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Robert S. Kilborne, 1958 (2009.300.259)
Photography © Platon

Festival robe (detail), 19th century
Qing dynasty, Daoguang (1821–50)–Xianfeng (1851–61) period
China
Silk, metallic thread
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Anonymous Gift, 1944 (44.122.2)
Photography © Platon

Valentino SpA (Italian, founded 1959)
Evening dress, "Shanghai" collection, 2013
Courtesy of Valentino SpA
Photography © Platon

Jar with dragon, early 15th century
Ming dynasty (1368–1644), Xuande mark and period (1426–35)
China
Porcelain painted with cobalt blue under transparent glaze (Jingdezhen ware)
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Robert E. Tod, 1937 (37.191.1)
Photography © Platon

Roberto Cavalli (Italian, born 1940)
Evening dress, fall/winter 2005–6
Courtesy of Roberto Cavalli
Photography © Platon

Court robe (detail), 19th century
Qing dynasty (1644–1911)
China
Silk and metallic-thread tapestry (kesi) with painted details
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Ellen Peckham, 2011 (2011.433.2)
Photography © Platon

Tom Ford (American, born 1961) for Yves Saint Laurent, Paris (French, founded 1961)
Evening dress, fall/winter 2004–5
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Yves Saint Laurent, 2005
Photography © Platon

John Galliano (British, born Gibraltar, 1960) for House of Dior (French, founded 1947)
Dress, spring/summer 2003 haute couture
Courtesy of Christian Dior Couture
Photography © Platon

Film still from Daughter of the Dragon, 1931
Courtesy of PARAMOUNT/THE KOBAL COLLECTION

Ralph Lauren (American, born 1939)
Evening dress, fall/winter 2011–12
Photography © Platon

Jean Paul Gaultier (French, born 1952)
Evening dress, fall/winter 2001–2 haute couture
Courtesy of Jean Paul Gaultier
Photography © Platon

19th-century rubbing from a 10th-century stele describing a sudden illness, a stomach ache
Rubel Collection C-74
Photograph courtesy of Special Collections, Fine Arts Library, Harvard University

Christian Dior (French, 1905–1957) for House of Dior (French, founded 1947)
"Quiproquo" cocktail dress, 1951
French
Silk, leather
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Mrs. Byron C. Foy, 1953 (C.I.53.40.38a–d)
Photography © Platon

Film still from In the Mood for Love, 2000
Courtesy of Block 2 Pictures Inc.
Photograph © 2000 Block 2 Pictures Inc. All rights reserved.

John Galliano (British, born Gibraltar, 1960) for House of Dior (French, founded 1947)
Dress, fall/winter 1997–98
Courtesy of Christian Dior Couture
Photography © Platon