Ensemble

Gabrielle Chanel|House of Chanel

ca. 1956 · silk, wool, leather · Costume Institute

After closing the couture house during World War II, Chanel, with characteristic determination, reopened it in 1954. When the first collection was not met favorably by critics, she persevered, eventually succeeding with an updated look that appealed to her loyal clientele, as well as a new group of discerning women. While the silhouette of this ensemble does not immediately identify it as the work of Chanel, the concept (a practical pairing of a dress and a coat with matching lining), details (the turned back cuffs and camellia trim) and black-and-white coloration are signature elements of Chanel's aesthetic.

Artist

Gabrielle Chanel|House of Chanel

Date

ca. 1956

Medium

silk, wool, leather

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 H. Gregory Thomas, 1959