Ensemble
By putting quotation marks around that hallowed icon of modern French chic, the little black dress as proposed by Gabrielle Chanel in 1926, Virgil Abloh takes René Magritte's statement about the treachery of images ("this is not a pipe," 1929) one step further. Whereas Magritte underlined the ironic difference between signifier and signified, Abloh doubles the veracity of the content (the object states it is, and indeed it is, a little black dress), and thereby neutralizes it. His satirical "little black dress" is a neo-Duchampian gesture questioning the notion of high art as expressed by the notion of haute couture, through the medium of a little black knitted dress, and leather boots made "for walking." Like the original "T Ford" dress, it is a commentary about the status of the artwork in times of mass production and replication, through the addition of whimsical quotation marks.
Artwork Details
- Title: Ensemble
- Design House: Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh (Italian, founded 2013)
- Designer: Virgil Abloh (American, Rockford, Illinois 1980–2021 Chicago)
- Date: pre-fall 2018
- Culture: American
- Medium: (a) viscose, polyester, (b, c) leather, metal, (d, e) synthetic fiber
- Credit Line: Gift of Virgil Abloh c/o Off-White™, 2018
- Object Number: 2018.585a–e
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Returned to lender
Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh
2022
Returned to lender
Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh
Virgil Abloh
fall/winter 2020−21
Conner Ives
fall/winter 2021–22
Heron Preston
2016
Thom Browne
spring/summer 2018
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.