Evening dress

Madame Grès (Germaine Émilie Krebs)

1963 · silk · Costume Institute

Evocative of Greek classicism, Grès Aphrodites are equally of the modernist vision. Grès practices immoderate economy of means and achieves an integrity of the whole garment. In each example, the great fullness of the skirt is compressed into tiny tucks that are introduced at the waist and engineered into the bodice in continuous lengths of fabric from hem to neckline. Hand stitching yields both the configuration and the cling. Even the "braided" neckline of the one-shouldered dress continues the same fabric and principle through its volutes, which are wrapped tightly across the top without interruption.

Artist

Madame Grès (Germaine Émilie Krebs)

Date

1963

Medium

silk

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Mrs. Arthur A. Houghton Jr., 1967