Ball gown

Gustave Beer|Beer

1900–1905 · silk, metal, rhinestones · Costume Institute

German designer, Gustave Beer offered elegant dresses and expensive lingerie at his couture house on the Place Vendôme. The opulent era of the late 1800s into the early 1900s brought an affluent clientele to France, preferring the best in French couture. The houses' luxurious offerings of individual, custom pieces made them a prime destination. The evening dress featured here is a wonderful example of the sumptuous pieces offered at this time. The combination of rich fabrics and rhinestone adornment is a testament to the costly lifestyle associated with this period.

Artist

Gustave Beer|Beer

Date

1900–1905

Medium

silk, metal, rhinestones

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 Edith Gardiner, 1926