Dress

Gianni Versace|Gianni Versace

ca. 1980 · silk, metal, glass · Costume Institute

Gianni Versace was known for his opulent and figure-hugging designs, with references to his Italian heritage pervading the collections. This combination of an embellished chainmail toga with a bias-cut slip dress exemplifies Versace's fascination for antiquity and his skill of draping metal mesh fluidly around the body. The joining together of the materials shows the construction of the garment instead of concealing it; this postmodern practice is a forerunner to the deconstructionist approach to fashion of the 1990s, when Versace used safety pins to hold together the fabric.

Artist

Gianni Versace|Gianni Versace

Date

ca. 1980

Medium

silk, metal, glass

Culture

Italian

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Purchase, Funds from various donors, by exchange, 2018