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Cocktail ensemble

Design House House of Dior French
Designer Yves Saint Laurent French, born Algeria
fall/winter 1959
Not on view
One of Yves 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 (2009.300.362a–d), 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 look.

Artwork Details

Object Information
  • Title: Cocktail ensemble
  • Design House: House of Dior (French, founded 1946)
  • Designer: Yves Saint Laurent (French (born Algeria) Oran 1936–2008 Paris)
  • Date: fall/winter 1959
  • Culture: French
  • Medium: wool, silk
  • Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Henry Rogers Benjamin, 1965
  • Object Number: 2009.300.20a, b
  • Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute

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