Evening dress, corded silk

Dresses in the Empire or Josephine style had a high waist-line under the bust. Balenciaga kept faith with this style, which was one of his favourites. The result was a number of outstanding designs, including the 'Amphora' dress shown here. Clever cutting and the use of a crisp silk created the cocoon-like back of the dress. Balenciaga finished the back with an enormous knotted sash. This extravagant feature is typical of his work. From the front the gown is a lean sheath with a strapless neckline. The neckline is slightly padded to stand away from the body.