Dinner dress

Gilbert Adrian

ca. 1944 · silk · Costume Institute

Elaborate piecing became a hallmark of Adrian's designs in the mid 1940s. Garments composed of bright colors, often in surprising combinations and juxtapositions, resemble the Cubist paintings of artists like George Braque (1882-1963) and Pablo Picasso (1881-1973). In this example, Adrian has invigorated a staid silhouette by piecing splashes of pink, purple and orange boldly across the bodice and skirt of the garment. The designer's wife, actress Janet Gaynor (1906-1984) owned this dress and donated it to the Brooklyn Museum.

Artist

Gilbert Adrian

Date

ca. 1944

Medium

silk

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Janet Gaynor Adrian, 1963