Evening ensemble
The full impact of this cocktail ensemble by Christian Dior cannot be appreciated until the dress is seen in profile, revealing the bustle effect at the back of the dress. Dior appreciated the fashions of past eras, often referencing the mid 19th-century in the scale of his skirts or shape of his portrait necklines. The example references the bustle silhouette of the 1880s, with the side draperies extending into wide ties that enhance the fullness at the center back. The textile of the stole matches a dress in the collection of the Costume Institute from the following year, a clue that Dior used the same textiles for more than one season.
Artwork Details
- Title: Evening ensemble
- Design House: House of Dior (French, founded 1946)
- Designer: Christian Dior (French, Granville 1905–1957 Montecatini)
- Date: fall/winter 1953
- Culture: French
- Medium: silk
- Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. Hans H. Zinsser, 1964
- Object Number: 2009.300.348a, b
- 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.
House of Dior
Christian Dior
fall/winter 1953–54
Valentina
ca. 1962
Multiple artists/makers
fall/winter 1961–62
House of Dior
Marc Bohan
1980s
House of Dior
Christian Dior
spring/summer 1955
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.