Woman's Cocktail Dress and Shoulder Wrap

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Woman's Cocktail Dress and Shoulder Wrap

Fall/Winter 1959-1960

Yves Saint Laurent showed this dress in July 1959 as part of his bombshell collection dubbed the "new, new look" (in comparison to the famous New Look that Christian Dior debuted in 1947). He made skirts a focal point—and the shortest in Paris (to the knee or just above). This one is made of four bands of doubled ruffles with fringed edges. The torso is swathed diagonally in taffeta that is tacked to the underdress over a layer of organza, giving the dress what Vogue magazine praised as a "light, supple young look." Perhaps not surprising, since Saint Laurent—already the house of Dior’s designer for two years—was just twenty-three years old.

Currently not on view

Object Details

Titles:

Woman's Cocktail Dress and Shoulder Wrap

Date:

Fall/Winter 1959-1960

Artists:

Medium:

Silk taffeta

Dimensions:

Center Back Length (Dress): 32 inches (81.3 cm) Wrap length & width: 42 1/2 x 11 1/2 inches (108 x 29.2 cm)

Classification:

Costume (including accessories)

Credit Line:

Gift of the Friends of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1997

Accession Number:

1997-52-1a,b

Geography:

Made in France, Europe

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Currently not on view