Dinner dress

Madame Grès (Germaine Émilie Krebs)

1982 · silk · Costume Institute

In a departure from the classically inspired and sculptural evening gowns for which she is well known, Grès recreates a silhouette reminiscent of the ballerinas painted by Edgar Degas (1830-1917). In her translation, she replaces layers of cream tulle with a multicolored composition in organza. An overlayer of black covers tiered layers of blue, copper, and orange. The skillful placement of the underlayers creates an iridescence that is backlit with an orange glow. The black neckband, a detail often seen on many of Degas' dancers, is reproduced here adorned with multiple oversized organza bows.

Artist

Madame Grès (Germaine Émilie Krebs)

Date

1982

Medium

silk

Culture

French

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Mrs. William Randolph Hearst, Jr., 1988