THE VINTAGE THIMBLE

Evening dress House of Worth. Designer: Jean-Philippe Worth. 1905. French. Silk. This fabric is outstanding with the celestial theme which was a favorite in the House of Worth from its inception. The textile was woven à la disposition with the stars in graduated sizes, especially to be used on a skirt. The magic of this dress is in the three different materials used to make the star pattern, woven into the textile with both a satin and velvet surface and an appliqué pattern in a slightly different color and texture. In the light the stars would twinkle as the wearer moved and the light caught the different textures of the stars. At the same time, the rhinestones would light up the bodice. | THE MET

Tea gown House of Worth (French, 1858–1956), Designer: Jean-Philippe Worth (French, 1856–1926), Date: 1900–1901 Culture: French. Medium: silk. This is a nice example of the teagown made by the House of Worth. This shows the luxurious lifestyle indicative of prominent women of the time. The teagown could be worn without a corset and was therefore a more comfortable form of dress in which one could greet guests at home. Teagowns were a particular vehicle for historicism and fantasy as evidences here with its deliberate interpretation of the 18th-century robe and petticoat form. | THE MET

Corset Trousseau corset, 1901. Silk jacquard, ribbon, lace. | ↳ Chicago History Museum

Dinner dress Attributed to Callot Soeurs (French, active 1895–1937), Designer: Attributed to Madame Marie Gerber (French), ca. 1908, French, silk, bead, linen & metal. First established in the 1890s by the four Callot sisters as a lingerie and lace business, Callot Soeurs evolved into a premier dressmaking house in the early years of the 20th century. The garments from Callot Soeurs in the Brooklyn Museum collections incorporate the signature elements of the house: antique lace trimming, Orientalist textiles, lavish embroidery that includes bead- or ribbonwork, or a combination of these elements. The materials used in this gown from 1906-1910 enliven a conventional silhouette. The overall design and varying scale of the embroidery parallels the shape of the dress, and the use of lace, in particular the charming animal and bird motif lace of the sleeves, sets this dress apart from others of the same period in the Brooklyn collection. While the dress lacks a label, these details and the overall quality of the design suggest a Callot Soeurs attribution. | ↳ THE MET

Evening dress Raoul Lafontan, 1900–1903, French, silk. While little is known about the designer of this dress, Raoul Lafontan, the spectacular manipulation of the fabric on view in this example is a testament to his skill and creativity. The pleating of the striped textile to create the skirt of the dress produced an outstanding visual effect of ribbons applied to the surface of the skirt. This pleating technique would have required much time and labor to accomplish. The same treatment at the back of the dress, combined with the shirred chiffon, gives drama whether the gown is seen from the front or the back. These details and the overall quality of the construction of the dress indicate Lafontan was a talented French couturier, however enigmatic. | THE MET

Dress 1907 | Digitalt Museum

Evening dress House of Worth (French, 1858–1956),Designer: Attributed to Jean-Philippe Worth (French, 1856–1926), Designer: Attributed to Jean-Charles Worth (French, 1881–1962),1909–11,French Medium: silk, metal & glass. | THE MET

Vest, first quarter 20th century. Albanian This vest features a rich contrast of materials; the applied silver cord couched onto a white foundation is particularly elegant. The densely embroidered shawl collar adds another dimension of visual interest. The applied cord on the back of the garment depicts a stylized goddess figure. | THE MET