Evening dress

Thierry Mugler|Mugler

fall/winter 1987–88 · silk, metal · Costume Institute

This "Immediate Boarding" (Embarquement Immédiat) gown by French designer Thierry Mugler references couture masters like Christian Dior and Madame Grès who would usually decorate the front neckline (décolletage) of the dress with satin flowers. Mugler instead decorates the back with satin flowers, which spill out of the pink satin as from a cornucopia (horn of plenty), emphasizing the erotic allure of the curved back. This humorous take on couture examples is a pastiche, typical for the postmodern attitude of 1980s ready-to-wear, also reflected in the comical name.

Artist

Thierry Mugler|Mugler

Date

fall/winter 1987–88

Medium

silk, metal

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Catharine Breyer Van Bomel Foundation Fund, 2018