A dress of Empress Alexandra Feodorovna (the wife of Nicholas I)

Russia, 1850s.
Velvet, satin; goldwork.
Satin, tulle, lace, silver broad plate; embroidery, appliqué
No GDM-165-II - GDM-167-II

The style of this court gown of Empress Maria Feodorovna follows the rules that standardized evening court dresses. The rules were introduced by Nicholas I in 1834.
«The Emperor himself confirmed the description for gowns that ladies should wear when attending the Imperial Court on ceremonial occasions», and thus established a single unified style of court dresses — a so called Russian style. The colour and type of fabric for court attire were also specified. Only the Empress and members of the Imperial family had the right to choose from several options.