Dress

This elegant gown, with its high waistline and flowing train, is a fine example of the Neo-classical style of dress that was fashionable in Britain and France at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. Diaphanous Indian muslin fabric from Bengal was the perfect material for the new, lighter and less tailored styles, which were often complemented by the equally fashionable Kashmir shawls. The chain-stitch embroidery was also done in India, using the naturally golden-coloured tussore (wild) silk of Bengal. The designs on this dress recall the Neo-classical motifs that were popular in many media in Europe at that time, and are another indication that the fabric was intended for use in the West rather than in India.