Evening ensemble

Madame Grès (Germaine Émilie Krebs)

early 1980s · silk · Costume Institute

The story that Madame Grès first wanted to be a sculptor could well have begun with this dress. Its wonder is in its self-confident shape. In this instance, the donor gave us a critical piece of information that one could only obtain from someone who had worn the dress. The bubble skirt is the bottom of the tunic, fitting over the skirt. The donor would stuff tissue paper into the skirt in order to achieve the desired fullness. Major gifts of Grès pieces have enhanced the collection, especially since our fall 1994 Grès exhibition. Leading donors have included Mrs. Ahmet Ertegun and Chessy Rayner.

Artist

Madame Grès (Germaine Émilie Krebs)

Date

early 1980s

Medium

silk

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Mary M. and William W. Wilson III, 1996