Iconic Designs: Fashion and Style of the 20th Century

By
1900, an S-shaped silhouette with a so-called “sans-ventre” line became fashionable. In order to achieve this
extreme profile the corset pushed the chest forward, laced the waist
particularly tight and simultaneously shoved the hips back.

Embroidered Corset with Stocking Garters
France, ca. 1900

This elegant, hip-long corset has a nearly straight, crafted blank billet (planchette) which is drawn downward to restrain the belly and push the chest forward, thus achieving the S-shaped sans ventre silhouette popular around 1900.

Lilac Walking Dress
Karlsbad, ca. 1900

This elegant strolling dress impresses with the tone in tone appliqué of shimmering silk taffeta in an Art Nouveau-inspired pattern of winding acanthus. The waist-length jacket has a fashionable S curve with extended breast section, which simultaneously pushed the buttocks back.

The hemline has a high decorative border made of satin appliqué.

"Boissy" Evening Gown
Jeanne Paquin
Paris, spring/summer 1912

This model, which combines pre World War I luxury and sophistication, is typical of Jeanne Paquin’s (1869-1936) style in its indulgence in tastefully coordinated pastel tones. The skirt, converging conically downward, reflects the high waist with siren line that was popular around 1912.

The tunic itself consists of three lengths fabric. A rose bouquet holds the bunch of fabric.

With the outbreak of World War I in 1914,
women replaced the men, who were fighting on the front lines, in all economic
sectors, management and public works. Attire adapted to these activities, becoming
more functional and comfortable. Women employed in factories began wearing
trousers. Soft, smooth fabrics in subdued colours came into vogue. By the end
of the war in 1918 it was not longer possible to imagine that women were not a
part of social life. As female secretaries, saleswomen and telephone operators,
they constituted a new professional sector of employee.

Formal Gown with Rose Trim
Madeleine Vionnet
Paris, autumn/winter 1922/23, model: 1264

This new social standing gave rise to a stylistic reorientation: Skirt hems slid upward, dresses became plain and straight. This youthful, slim line negated the chest and waist while accenting the legs. Brassieres, union suits and skin-coloured silk stockings completed the new, athletic appearance. Bobs and clinging cloches became commonplace.

The February 1922 edition of the French Vogue reported that: “Vionnet triggered a revolution two years ago … she has proposed clothes to us that not only have no lining, but are closed and that you pull at will over your head …”.

Evening Bag with Egyptian Motif
USA/Europe, ca. 1922

The 1922 discovery of the grave of Tutankhamen by English archeologist Lord Carter launched a worldwide fad for all things of Egyptian fashion. This evening bag, made from the finest glass beads, is an excellent example thereof.

A crowned Pharaoh in purple garment is depicted upon a black background. Brown strips with hieroglyph-like characters run the longitudinal sides of the highly rectangular bag.

“Sorrente“ Dance Gown
Jeanne Lanvin
Paris, ca. 1927/28

This dress of delicate silk is covered with loosely fluttering, pointed oval leaves that progress in size and eventually form the scalloped dress hem.

Jeanne Lanvin (1867-1946) had worked as a milliner since 1890 and founded her couture house in 1910. She created ingeniously designed dresses with virtuoso technology.

A strong blue with a light mauve tint was among the favourite colours of Jeanne Lanvin. She had discovered the colour in the work of early Renaissance painter Fra Angelico and thereafter used it again and again in different nuances and colour combinations. Here it receives special radiance as a result of the lustre of the sequins.

The unusual execution of the cut and fine tailoring suggest an attribution to Madeleine Vionnet.

A short cape, open at the back and cut in the round, closes in the back with a wide band of fabric. This, like the dress, is simply pulled over the head.

Gold Lamé Evening Gown
Attributed to Elsa Schiaparelli
Paris, ca. 1933

Italian native Elsa Schiaparelli (1890-1973) began her career as a fashion designer with cubist sweater patterns. In contrast to her rival Coco Chanel Schiaparelli wanted her models to cause a stir.

She was friendly with artists such as Salvador Dalí, whose surrealism influenced her work strongly. In 1933, Schiaparelli presented models with pagoda sleeves, which anticipated the wide shoulder of the 1940s.

The real eye-catchers of this form-fitting dress are the shoulders, which are accented in thick arches and below which fall the puffed, top-stitched sleeves.

Suit Dress
Adrian
USA, 1941–45

Gilbert Adrian Greenburgh (1903-1959) was chief designer for Metro Goldwyn Mayer from 1929 to 1941. The broad-shouldered silhouette he developed in 1932 for Joan Crawford in the film “Letty Lynton”, which would influence fashion up until the end of World War II, was particularly significant.

In 1941, he founded his own Couture house, “Adrian Ltd,” with ready-to-wear line in Beverly Hills. Although he now concentrated on models for working women, he knew how to lend an elegant glamour to strict cuts, as displayed by this piece.

The tailored jacket is high-necked and has a small, rounded turndown collar. A band of natural coloured wool, a simple yet striking military-like accent runs diagonally from the left shoulder to the right side, ending at waist level in the back. The band is adorned with three groups of five brass buttons.

Coat Dress
Christian Dior
Paris, 1948

The one-piece coat dress, with narrow waist, exaggerated hips and wide swinging skirt, illustrates the line launched by Christian Dior in 1947 and now called the “New Look”. It revolutionized post-war fashion and, after years of a masculine-influenced clothing, initiated a return to femininity, luxury and opulence.

Shawl collars were a favourite motif of Christian Dior: they flattered the female form and varied the curved lines of bust and hip.

Two-piece Evening Dress
Jean Dessès
Paris, ca. 1950

This dramatic evening gown combines a waist-length bustier with a long form-fitting skirt that opens wide at the knee.

Jean Dessès (1904-1970), born in Alexandria, opened his own couture house in Paris in 1937 and during the 50s he was a much sought-after designer among royal European families.

The figure enveloping skirt is adorned with a multistage valance at the knee, the lowest stage of which is bell-shaped.

Afternoon Dress
Gérard Pipart for Jacques Fath
Paris, spring/summer 1955

The dress was presented in the 1955 summer collection, the first to appear after Jaques Fath’s (1912-1954) death.

This piece comes from the possession of singer, Lily Pons, who was one of the most prominent members of the Metropolitan Opera of New York from 1931-1961.

The severely tailored bodice reaches down to the hip, where the ingeniously designed skirt begins. Here the length of fabric is transversely processed, beginning in the rear centre and is guided once loosely around the body. The plethora is thereafter gradually gathered and conceals the skirt neck with a twisted sculptural ribbon.

Silk Taffeta Ball Gown
Cristóbal Balenciaga
Paris, 1955

In March 1955 l’Officiel described the new, slightly shorter, Balenciaga evening gowns thus: “The new length of evening gowns is unexpected. A length that gracefully flatters the silhouette and brings out the ankles”. Cristóbal Balenciaga drew inspiration from historical models and here offers a modern interpretation of the late 19th century bustle.

The gown comes from the possession of Elisabeth Firestone (1897-1990). She was voted bestdressed woman of the year several times and counted amongst the long-standing customers of the house of Balenciaga.

As if momentarily swept up, pink silk taffeta drapes in luxuriant transverse shirring over a strapless corsage bodice with narrow waist and crinoline-like petticoat stiffened with synthetic ribbons.

Blue Suit with Blouse
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel
Paris, ca. 1965

In 1954 Coco Chanel, then 71 years old, re-opened her fashion house, which had been closed since 1939. Although Europeans estimated the first collection as “old-fashioned”, the American fashion press reacted positively.

The suits introduced by Chanel became a particular success. This informal elegant style, which stood in stark contrast to the rigid corset-stiffened creations of other French fashion designers, helped Coco Chanel make her comeback a success.

This knee-hugging suit at the Kunstgewerbemuseum has all the hallmarks of a typical Chanel suit: a slightly fitted jacket with four patch pockets and collar and lapels that form a deep V-neck.

The hemlines of both jacket and blouse are weighed down with a gold coloured curb chain that guarantees a perfect fit.

”Rib Cage” Cocktail Dress
Pierre Cardin
Paris, ca. 1969

Pierre Cardin (1922) has characterised his designs thus: “Haute Couture is a creative laboratory where forms and volumes can be studied. The immensity of the universe and microscopy of the cell, computers and geometry: these are the sources of my inspiration. The garments I prefer are those I create for tomorrow’s world”.

Cardin, Andrè Courrèges (1923-2016), Paco Rabanne (1934) and Emanuel Ungaro (1933) belonged to the 1960s avant-garde.

The navel-deep neckline is rimmed by an eye-catching, sculptural stainless steel application that documents Cardin’s interest in technical innovations.

Sandals
Attributed to Paco Rabanne
Paris, ca. 1968/70

This sandal embodies an attempt to express the factual tendencies of the 1960s through making visible both the material and process of construction.

The sole and heel are hewn from one single continuous metal sheet.

During the 1970s a stylistic
diversity was prevalent that ranged from the romantic look and the hippie to
folklore fashion. Trousers were finally designed for women.

Evening Pant Suit
Giovanna Ferragamo
Italy, ca. 1970

Elegant and at the same time youthful, this evening pantsuit combines a smooth decoratively trimmed knee-length tunic with embroidered trousers.

Giovanna Ferragamo (1943), second daughter of the Italian shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo (1898-1960), presented her first Prêt-à-porter collection in 1967 at the Palazzo Pitti in Florence.

Two-piece Evening Gown
Madame Grès
Paris, post 1973

Madame Grès (1899-1993), the “Sculptress of fashion designers”, was famous for her skilfully draped clothing. Since the 1930s founding of "Alix", her first company, each new collection presented new variations of her draped pieces. She presented the bare midriff for the first time in 1973 in the form of pleated dresses with separate tops.

The top of this dress consists of a 280 cm long and 160 cm wide length of the finest jersey. The skirt has a narrow gathered waistband that contains the abundant fabric—a total length of 850 cm. The fine and densely gathered jersey lends sculptural quality to the flowing folds.

Hot Pants
Paco Rabanne
Paris, spring/summer 1974

Paco Rabanne, born in Spain in 1934, studied architecture in Paris and initially designed accessories for Balenciaga, Givenchy and Dior. In 1967 he founded his own haute couture house.

This waisted jumpsuit with cropped legs is an example of Rabanne’s approach, and documents his renunciation from conventional materials.

The hot pants are entirely made of equal sized, silver coloured aluminium disks and synthetic red and black disks arranged horizontally.

The so-called hot pants, which became fashionable in 1971/72, were controversial because—like the miniskirts—a flawless figure was the single key to an aesthetic appearance.

The
“power dress”, so called for its overly broad, straight shoulders and boxy
appearance, emerged during women’s liberation in the 1980s. Women successful in
the corporate world could therein demonstrate powerful authority and a touch of
sensible femininity.

Cocktail Dress with Asymmetrical Trim
Yves Saint Laurent
Paris, spring/summer 1988

Yves Saint Laurent (1936-2008) founded his maison de couture in 1962 and, along with Coco Chanel and Christian Dior, is considered to be the most important fashion designer of the second half of the 20th century. Many of his inventions have written fashion history. He dedicated his 1988 summer collection, with brilliantly embroidered pieces, to artists George Braque and Vincent van Gogh.

Asymmetrical lines and densely ruffled valances at the neckline and hem offer the dress a highly dramatic effect.

By the
end of the 20th century, the human body increasingly became an object for
fashionable transformation. Attempts are being made to more closely approach the
desired ideal with the help of makeup, piercings and tattoos and with the
growing popularity of surgical correction.

Evening Gown with Safety Pins
Gianni Versace
Italy, spring/summer 1994

With this form-fitting dress in column cut Gianni Versace (1946-1997) has combined the classical form with the most modern of materials and quoted punk fashion. The use of heavy, double rayon fabric, a cloqué in creased crinkle look, testifies to his great refinement and expertise in material finishing.

The side seams are moved to the front and held together, as is the navel deep neckline, by thirteen oversized gold and silver coloured safety pins which are embellished with Medusa heads, the logo of the house.

Actress Liz Hurley caused an international sensation in 1994 in another model from this collection at the premiere of the film Four Weddings and a Funeral.