Evening dress

Yves Saint Laurent|Yves Saint Laurent

spring/summer 1963 · cotton, silk, pearl, plastic · Costume Institute

The patron saint of lace makers is Saint Anne, mother of Mary. Maternal and feminine, immaculate and important, the traditions of lace making have been associated for centuries with the finest in dress. Lace embellishments to court dress from both men and women were evidence of power displayed through a craft. Hand-appliquéd lace defies the machine aesthetic and convenience in as palpable a form as any. The white-on-white relief of guipure is a small allover sculpture articulating the surface of a very modest, even elementary, silhouette. Saint Laurent knows that ethereal hand craft garniture is most effective when combined with an unpretentious modern structure.

Artist

Yves Saint Laurent|Yves Saint Laurent

Date

spring/summer 1963

Medium

cotton, silk, pearl, plastic

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Charles B. Wrightsman, 1964