1974 Biba Tailored Trouser Suit

I just barely missed this one. This 1974 trouser suit by Biba was designed by Barbara Hulanicki and her husband. They started their business in 1963 as a mail order boutique. Unlike designers like Mary Quant, Biba catered to starving students and bohemian minded fashionistas alike. The success of their line allowed them to open a store in Kensington in 1964.  

1912 Side Saddle Riding Habit

This riding habit is an excellent example of a well tailored garment. Habits are part of a highly specialized area of the tailoring industry.  As a result of the stress on the garment because of the wearer's physical activity, the emphasis is on firm and accurate construction.  Seams that take strain and might rub are lined and reinforced with cotton and buttons are backed. 

Place: London England

Designer: James Redfern

Material: Jacket: Woolen jersey flecked with white, lined with pearl grey satin

Skirt: Wool flecked with white, pocket lined with cotton twill

Breeches: Woolen jersey flecked with white

2009 Tailored Pants

My partner and I created these pants for the 2009 fashion show in Bryant Park.  We drafted them from a flat pattern and then slashed and spread the pattern to get the jodpher shape.

Material: Wool

Place: U.S. 

2008 Victor and Rolf Draped Jacket

This jacket is an excellent example of modern draping.  Victor and Rolf have exaggerated the silhouette of the body with an over sized dropped sleeve and then the silhouette comes in again at the waist. 

Material: Wool

Year: Autumn, Winter 2008/09

Place:Netherlands

19th Century English Draped Gown

This muslin gown is from approximately 1800. This type of gown became popular in the 1800s based on theatre costumes referencing  Ancient Greek and Roman dress and the paintings of  Jacques Louis David. 

Material: Muslin, embroidered in cotton thread

Place: India (textile)

England (gown)

Draped Dress 1949

This dress was designed by Jacques Fath in 1949 for Lady Dacre.  She was the wife of the Naval Attache to Paris in the late 1940s and had many formal occasions that she needed to dress for. She wore exclusively Jacques Fath to her events. Fath dressed her free of charge each season as she gave good publicity to his work. If she wanted to keep a piece she would buy at at the end of the season. By then I am sure she was sick of it!!

Material: Printed Viscose Rayon

Place: Paris, France

Six Functions of Dress: Sexual Enhancement

The corset is one of the most important pieces of clothing which provides sexual enhancement. It makes woman's waist smaller and cleavage bigger. They have been around since the 16th century. The corset was originally called a stay (a stiff corset). Sometimes it was added to the outer bodice; sometimes it was in the form of separate stays worn under a gown. Originally the stiffening was designed to prevent the expensive fabric from wrinkling. However, as corsets evolved, they began to serve a more important function, shaping the woman's figure to the silhouette of the time. 

Date: 1670

Fabrics: Satin backed with linen

Manufacturer: Unknown

Six Functions of Dress: Group Membership

Visual Kei is associated with teens that frequent the Harajuku Station in Tokyo that dress in a cyper-punk style. It involves flamboyant hairstyles and sometimes androgynous clothing, influenced by 70s glam rock. Teenagers in the area gather on Sundays to show off their style and solidify their membership to one of the Harajuku groups, Gothic, Lolita, Fruit, Visual Kei, or something else. The attached photo is of Malice Mizer one of the first Visual Kei bands of the 1980s. 

Date: 1990s

Fabrics: Faux Leather, Ostrich Feathers, Velvet, Cotton

Manufacturer: Unknown

Six Functions of Dress: Gender Differentiation

Antony Price's woman's tuxedo shows how a man's garment can be transformed into a woman's silhouette. In this tuxedo, Price adopts the fabric and components of a man's diner suit to a woman's figure, nipping in the waist. Designed to be worn with nothing beneath, makes it an overtly sexy version of the male original. When we look at this suit there is no question that it is made for a woman because of the fit and silhouette.  Price became famous in Britain and America for his glam-rock style that he developed in the 70s by transforming military and civilian uniforms into glamorous partywear. 

Date: 1977

Fabric: Worsted Wool

Manufacturer: Antony Price

Six Functions of Dress: Enviromental Protection

This samurai suit of amour is the 'domaru' style first used around 1400. It is a close fitting type of body armor, with more protection for the thighs and smaller shoulder-guards than previous forms of armor. It protects the wearer from the climate as well as body harm due to warfare. The armor can also be considered to be decorative because of the use of leather, bear-fur and lacquer. You can also use this piece as an example of group membership. The wheel mallets on the fore crest of the helmet and other areas are the family emblem of the Doi family. They were a middle-ranking samurai family who lived in northeast Tokyo. 

Date: approx 1799

Materials and Techniques: Iron, gilded, silvered and patinated copper, polished rayfish skin, silk, leather, bear-fur and lacquer

Manufacturer: Unknown

Six Functions of Dress: Decoration

This British court dress exemplifies the decorative function of dress. The silhouette of this dress serves to exaggerate the silhouette of the body. One can also tell the status of the person by examining the details of this dress. The expensive fabric, exaggerated silhouette and metallic thread all show that this is a piece worn by a very wealthy member of the court. 

Date: 1750

Fabric: Silk and metallic thread

Manufacturer: Unknown

Purchased by the Metropolitan from Irene Lewisohn Bequest, 1965

6 Functions of Dress

Ceremonial

This 17th century wedding dress represents the ceremonial function of dress. It is typical of the time period, with the designer's use of feminine elements such as ruffling and the decorative brooch on the front. 

Date: 1864

Fabric: Cotton

Manufacturer: Unknown

Gift of Mrs. James Sullivan to the Metropolitan Museum of Art 

Yves Saint Laurent

Since I haven't included any menswear yet, I decided to post this Yves Saint Laurent Safari Suit. It was owned by Anthony Powell, a theatre designer. He never wore the ensemble together, but would alternate it with pieces of an almost identical beige suit, also by Yves Saint Laurent. At the time, Mr. Powell loved this casual suit and felt that it could be worn for almost any occasion. 

Safari Suit

1970 

Paris

Cotton Twill

Mary Quant

In the 60s, Mary Quant gave young girls their own style of dressing.  Before the 1960s youth quake, girls were forced to wear the same clothing as their mothers.  She designed bold items like this fun shift dress so that girls could express themselves. 

Peachy

Mary Quant

1960

Wool

Worn by Mrs. Margaret Stewart. 

 Waistcoat

Waistcoats were part of men's three piece ensemble in the 18th C. This example is rare because the expensive silk damask is used for the back and the front of the coat, whereas ordinarily it would only be used for the front. The backs were usually made of fustian, a cheap blend of cotton and linen, since the back of the coat was never seen in public.  This coat was for informal use only due to it's monochromatic color and simplicity of the weave. 

Waistcoat

Unknown Designer

England

1710-20

Silk damask lined with fustian and silk

Coco Chanel 

This 1930s evening dress was designed by Coco Chanel.  It is significant because is marks a departure from  her designs of the 1920s which were more sporty and androgynous. This dress is typical of the dresses of the early 1930s, which were tight fitting, showing off every curve, unlike the boxy silhouette of the 1920s. During this time most evening gowns were sleeveless with a low neckline or back.  

Evening Dress

Paris

1932

Machine and Hand Sewn Blue Tulle and Sequins

Yves Saint Laurent

This dress was worn by the Duchess of Windsor.  The Duchess was a couture client throughout her life and Yves Saint Laurent was one of her favorite designers.  She chose this dress when she was 62 years old.  This dress was inspired by the bell-shaped skirts fashionable in the 1860s.  The construction of the dress is also influenced by the late 1800s, it has a fitted boned corset and bell-shaped skirt supportedby a layered petticoat.  How many bows can you count? 

There are 42 in all!!!

Bal Masque

Yves Saint Laurent

Paris 

Spring/Summer 1958

Black silk tulle and boned cream silk, bugle beads and satin ribbons

Jeanne Lanvin

This afternoon coat is made of black silk chiffon, to which squares of black wool crepe have been applied. This coat is an example of the strong relationship between art and fashion. The geometric forms in this piece are assembled according to the collage techqniue, which wa part of the abstract art movement of the 1920s. Black was popularized for the use in evening wear by Coco Chanel in the mid-1920s. 

Afternoon Coat

Jeanne Lanvin

Paris

Summer 1929

  Black Crepe and Silk Chiffon

Designers and Textiles

Christain Dior

I have recently become a fan of Dior. I always loved the classic image on the new look on the edge of Central Park but after doing some research into jackets from the 40s and 50s I have a new found love for his silhouettes and use of fabrics. "Zemire", pictured here is one of Dior's most important designs. It is named after an opera by Gretry.  The original version in grey silk satin was shown to Princess Margaret in 1954 but this piece was comissioned by a private client, the wife of a British textile manufacturer. 

Zemire evening ensemble

Christian Dior 

Paris

1954-5 Autumn/Winter

Cellulose acetate, with the skirt lined with layers of silk and net

Worn by: Lady Agota Sekers