Evening ensemble

House of Dior|John Galliano|House of Dior

spring/summer 1998 · a) wool, silk; b) wool · Costume Institute

A leitmotif of Mrs. Kempner's collection was the evening "column," a silhouette that displayed her lean proportions to advantage. An example is John Galliano's evening ensemble. Taking his inspiration from Christian Dior's 1947 "New Look" collection, Galliano shapes his halter into the hip-padded form of the iconic "bar suit" jacket. This witty citation and irreverent updating of a well-known form are typical of Galliano. The ensemble, with its body exposure, exclamatory attenuation, and tailoring for evening, is, however, quintessentially Kempner.

Artist

House of Dior|John Galliano|House of Dior

Date

spring/summer 1998

Medium

a) wool, silk; b) wool

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Gift of Thomas L. Kempner, 2006