Evening dress

Valentina

ca. 1938 · cotton, synthetic, silk · Costume Institute

The gossamer fabric used for this at-home dress is made of cotton and cellophane, an example of the unusual materials used during the late 1930s and early '40s as synthetics became more available. The cellophane stripe adds just a hint of shimmer. Although the construction is simple, the overall effect is timeless and elegant, a trait sought-after by Valentina's clientele.

Artist

Valentina

Date

ca. 1938

Medium

cotton, synthetic, 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 Igor Kamlukin, 1996