Embroidered Evening Dress by Antonio del Castillo

Evening dress of embroidered zibeline, designed by Antonio Castillo for Lanvin with materials manufactured by Staron, Paris, 1957. Evening dress of embroidered zibeline, designed by Antonio Castillo for Lanvin with materials manufactured by Staron, Paris, 1957. Courtesy the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, acc. no. T.284-1974.

Illustrated is an embroidered evening dress designed by Don Antonio Canovas del Castillo de Rey, also known as Antonio del Castillo (1908–1984), for the couture house of Lanvin, Paris (France). The dress was made in 1957. The evening dress is made from cream silk zibeline (a heavy silk cloth with a twill weave). It is full length with a fitted bodice and shoulder straps. The tulip-shaped skirt is slightly gathered.

The embroidery is worked in various shades of purple chenille thread, as well as applied beads, diamonds and sequins in a stylised  floral design. The embroidery design was produced by François Lesage (1929-2011). He was inspired by the formal embroidery on eighteenth century French waistcoats for men. The embroidery was carried out by the Maison Lesage, just outside of Paris. The dress was worn by Joan Eleanor Moore, Countess of Drogheda (1901-1989; wife of Charles Garrett Ponsonby Moore, 11th Earl of Drogheda). She later gave the dress to the fashion photographer, Cecil Beaton. It was acquired in 1974 by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London.

See also Paulette Goddard's embroidered dress

Source: Wilcox, C., (ed., 2007), The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57, London: V&A Publications, p. 136, 167, pl. 5.17.

V&A online catalogue (retrieved 20 March 2016)

GVE

Last modified on Monday, 03 October 2016 18:29
Published in Daily and general garments and textiles
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