Dress

Cocktail dress, that is a dress for occasions on which protocol does not demand the solemnity of an evening dress. This was made of black satin profusely embroidered with vegetal motifs. The bodice is very tight, with a cinched waist emphasised by two strips of embroidery. The sleeves are quite short, barely covering the shoulder. The skirt is full and bell-shaped. This is a typical design by Pierre Balmain, who after studying with Molyneux and Lelong, opened his fashion house in 1945 and from then on was characterised by very tight waists and full, very voluminous skirts.