#2245 $2,250
Beaded lamé evening dress, 1930s
If you are a regular visitor to Vintage Textile, you know of my love for antique textiles. One of the irresistible attractions of dealing in high style vintage clothing has been the opportunity to handle the most beautiful textiles of the past.
As an art form, textile design ranks almost high as dress design. Having worked on Seventh Avenue in textile design, I can appreciate how incredibly hard it is to create a new design suitable for high fashion clothing.
This important evening gown is one of the finest examples of textile art I have ever offered. The dress, obviously very expensive when new, is fashioned from gold and purple silk/lamé brocaded with metallic gold.
The layered effect of the richly textured, Persian-style pattern (3rd picture from the bottom) calls to mind the splendors of Central Asian textile art imported into Europe via the Silk Road, the ancient trade route between China and the Mediterranean. The combination of majestic purple and aristocratic gold filigree is breathtaking!
The silk chiffon neckline insert is embellished with gold and silver beads. The bodice has an under layer of matching silk chiffon that is beaded around the neckline edge. The dress closes on the side with hooks.
The magnificent fabric should not blind us to the wonderful cut of the dress: the softly draped bodice, fitted hips, and pleated skirt panels.
The condition is excellent. The dress is wearable with care.
It measures: 40" bust, 34" waist, 42" hip, 16" from the shoulder to the waist, and 57" from the shoulder to the hem.
