Cocktail ensemble

House of Dior|Yves Saint Laurent

fall/winter 1959 · wool, silk · Costume Institute

One of Yves Saint Laurent's notable designs was a precisely tailored, tuxedo-inspired jacket paired with either a skirt or trousers in an ensemble known as "le smoking." As an alternative to more traditional feminine evening gowns, this design received a great deal of attention in the 1970s. Two of Saint Laurent's 1959 designs for Dior, however, this ensemble and another from the same gift (2009.300.362a–d), show a much earlier iteration of the idea. While neither is as severe or androgynous as the later versions of "le smoking," both of these cocktail ensembles exhibit characteristics of Saint Laurent's signature look.

Artist

House of Dior|Yves Saint Laurent

Date

fall/winter 1959

Medium

wool, 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 Henry Rogers Benjamin, 1965