Dress

This Art Deco party dress or evening gown does not mark the waist, which can only be intuited from the bodice, which continues through to the skirt. Far from being emphasized, the bust and hips are concealed to create a straight silhouette. The dress is short and transparent. The simplicity of the pattern, which consists of two identical parts, one in front and one behind, is in contrast to the opulence of the materials and ornamentation. The fine lightweight gauze is lavishly appliquéd with beads and sequins and embroidered with silver thread to give it a special brilliance and weight, while at the same time conveying lightness and sinuosity to the wearer's body as she moves. The beaded fringe at the bottom also accentuates the sense of movement.

The loose-fitting dress leaves the legs, nekline and arms uncovered and allows the wearer to move freely. With no interior structures such as a corset or a girdle, this dress is a good example of a style that has ceased to be a frame immobilizing the wearer, and actually facilitates movement: easy to sew, to copy and to wear, it represents a degree of democratization, making modernity accessible to all women, unlike the exclusivity of the fashionable styles of the past. The simplicity and elegance of the dress can only be properly understood in combination with highly sophisticated accessories — leather coat, hat, gloves, shoes.