Ball gown

Charles James

1950–52 · silk · Costume Institute

This design incorporates a detail seen in late nineteenth-century dresses: The torso seems to emerge out of the folds of the skirt. In his rendering of the historicist effect, James generated a sophisticated technical solution to conform to his preference for continuous pieces of fabric that are draped, tucked, and darted to fit. The fabric is shaped and fitted over the hips of the torso to become the draped apron.

Artist

Charles James

Date

1950–52

Medium

silk

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Marietta Tree, 1965