Dance Gown with Ray Motif

In 1925 L’Art et la Mode reported that: “Nous allons danser le Charleston cet hiver. La trépidation mettant tout le corps en mouvement, mieux sera de choisir un modèle de robe flou” (“This winter, we are going to dance the Charleston. The vibration moves the entire body, so it is best to choose a flowing dress”). This knee-length dance piece in a shirt-shaped cut is fully embroidered with tambour work. Sequins in silver, grey, gold, pink, blue and black are joined together like scales into cloud-like ornaments. The sequins display an embossed grid or dot pattern that offers them plasticity. On the left hip a serrated star ornament, which extends onto the far back of the dress, marks the beginning of an inserted gusset and terminates at a point that offers necessary legroom to the wearer when dancing. The sequins, made from the thinnest Bakelite, lend the dress an unexpected lightness.