Evening ensemble

Christian Dior|House of Dior

1952 · silk · Costume Institute

Christian Dior made masterful use of surface embellishments for his evening dresses of the early 1950s. In this example from 1952, Dior's characteristic attention to detail shows in the refined placement and graduation of the embroidery and appliqué elements. The pairing of black and red shows a Spanish influence, with the placement of the trimmings referencing the tiers of a flamenco skirt.

Artist

Christian Dior|House of Dior

Date

1952

Medium

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 Eleanor Lambert, 1953