A Grès Evening Dress in Printed Chiffon Silk Circa 1975/1985
View Similar Items
A Grès Evening Dress in Printed Chiffon Silk Circa 1975/1985
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Dimensions:Marked Size: Equivalent French Size 36 (EU)
- Style:1975/1985 (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use. Very good Condition and Color.
- Seller Location:Toulon, FR
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU63339892032
Madame Gres
Forever credited with having altered the fashion world with her pleated silk dresses, Madame Grès was one of the greatest couturiers of the 20th century. She defied the orders of Nazi soldiers and designed gowns and evening dresses that mirrored the colors and pattern of the French flag, working by hand with material that hung directly from live models. A consummate artist, Grès created garments that were demonstrative of exemplary construction and meticulous attention to detail — her signature floor-length gowns left a lasting impact on every aspect of haute couture.
Born Germaine Émilie Krebs to a French Jewish family in Paris, Grès initially studied painting and sculpture. For her, making dresses and working in sculpture were one and the same, and she pursued a career in fashion. Grès worked in millinery and was trained in haute couture dressmaking at the illustrious House of Prémet.
Grès opened her inaugural couture fashion house in 1932, and within a couple of years she began working under the name Alix Barton — the surname came from her coworker, couturier Julie Barton — calling her business La Maison Alix and creating gowns until 1942 in what became her signature style. She perfected modern pleating techniques and worked directly on live models, mostly with generous amounts of silk jersey and airy silk paper taffeta. Her designs showed the influence of Greco-Roman sculpture and would go on to help shape the work of Jean-Paul Gaultier, Jil Sander and Azzedine Alaïa, who also thought of haute couture as sculpture.
Grès’s work was photographed by the likes of Horst P. Horst, and her gowns for Jean Giraudaux’s play The Trojan War Will Not Take Place in 1935 established her as a leading designer, though Nazi occupation stalled her growth.
During WWII, Grès refused to design the utilitarian garb that German forces requested and instead made clothes using the colors of the French flag as her own act of rebellion. Ultimately, she was forced to close her boutique in Paris. The designer married Russian painter Serge Czerefkov, changed her name to Grès — which is how her husband signed his name — and fled to the Pyrenees before returning to establish her second couture house under her new name.
Madame Grès’s second maison was widely successful and attracted a long list of rich and powerful clientele ranging from movie stars to royalty. A single dress could take hundreds of hours to complete. Some of the couturier’s clients became deeply loyal over the course of her career, including the Duchess of Windsor, Oscar-winning actresses Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo, iconic Tiffany & Co. jewelry designer Paloma Picasso and former First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy. Grès guarded her personal life closely and let her delicate, impeccable work speak for itself.
Original Madame Grès evening dresses and gowns, coats, jackets and day dresses, which transformed women into Greek deities, are held in the collections of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum at FIT and the Musée Bourdelle.
“Her dresses were about a sense of power, strength and beauty, not objectification,” explains Patricia Mears, deputy director of the Museum at FIT and author of Madame Grès: Sphinx of Fashion. “Everyone knows Chanel, Dior and Saint Laurent,” Mears says, “but I believe that the great triumvirate was Madeleine Vionnet, Balenciaga and Madame Grès — those who knew how to make clothes with their own hands, couturiers in the old sense of the word.”
Find vintage Madame Grès clothing and accessories on 1stDibs.
- Chamois suede dress by Emanuel Ungaro Parallèle - France Circa 1982By Emanuel UngaroLocated in Toulon, FRCirca 1982 France Amazing short safari-style dress in buff-coloured suede by Emanuel Ungaro Parallèle dating from the early 1980s. Straight cut with puffed sleeves and stitched inserts. Beige stretch knit with turtleneck effect collar and cuffs. Two slit pockets on the side and a thin integrated belt to tie for a blouson effect. Cream nylon lining and Ungaro Parallèle Paris logo label, size 10 Made in Italy. Dry-cleaned suede with no soiling apart from a slight structural patina of the suede skin. No defects to report. Good overall structural condition. Dimensions: Equivalent size M France...Category
1980s French Aesthetic Day Dresses
- A French Printed ChiffonSilk Dress Raoul Dufy inspiration Circa 1940Located in Toulon, FRCirca 1940/1950 France Beautiful summer dress in printed silk crepe dating from the 1940s / 1950s. Dense printing with strong polychromy with patterns of fruits, grapes, peach flowers, jars, fountains and architectural elements. Straight dress...Category
1940s French Summer Dresses
- An Elizabeth Arden Gold Lamé and flowered Evening Dress, Circa 1940-1950By Elizabeth ArdenLocated in Toulon, FRCirca 1935/1950 United States Frock coak long dress in shaped gold-plated silk Elizabeth Arden's. Famous New York reference to 5th Avenue between the two World Wars and dressed as Hollywood stars...Category
1950s American Aesthetic Day Dresses
- Carven Long Velvet Dress, Circa 1975By CarvenLocated in Toulon, FRCirca 1975 France Long dress with loose skirt and brown velvet with golden glitter glued in geometric patterns and houndstooth. Open shirt collar on narrow and rectangular chest. Z...Category
1970s French Cocktail Dresses
- A French Couture Beaded Chocolate Velvet Dress Circa 1940-1950Located in Toulon, FRCirca 1940 France Beautiful cocktail dress, probably Haute Couture, dating from the 1940s. Dress in chocolate velvet panne with puffed three-quarter sleeves adorned with embroidery ...Category
1940s French Cocktail Dresses
- A Jeanne Lanvin Couture Printed Silk Dress with Matched Cuffs, Circa 1985By Jeanne LanvinLocated in Toulon, FRCirca 1985 France Jeanne Lanvin summer dress in cream satin prints with patterns of roses in shades of pink, purple, coral and khaki. Straight collar, ruffle sleeve and removable cu...Category
1980s French Cocktail Dresses
- Vilshenko black pink floral print silk puff sleeve mock neck maxi dress XS - SBy VilshenkoLocated in Paris, FRLOVE LALI Vintage Vilshenko black dress with pink, yellow and green floral print Button up neckline Mock neck Cinched waist Puff sleeves Loose tiered skirt Concealed back zip Attac...Category
2010s Maxi Dresses
- Chloe brown strapless corset bustier layered chiffon satin maxi dress gown 36By ChloéLocated in Paris, FRLOVE LALI Vintage Please note that the model is 6 foot 1" / 185 cm and wearing very high heels - on someone shorter this dress would be much longer Chloe strapless bustier dress in...Category
2010s French Evening Dresses
- Bazaar of France Vivid Multicolor Abstract Cowl-Neck Cap-Sleeve Jersey DressLocated in New York, NYBazaar of France, vivid multicolor abstract dress accented with a cowl-neck front as well as cap-sleeves. The length measures 39 1/2 inches, bust measures 38 inches, waist mea...Category
Early 2000s French Day Dresses
- 1960s Malcolm Starr Green Pink Metallic Floral Print DressBy Malcolm StarrLocated in Beverly Hills, CA1960s Malcolm Starr Gown in Green, Pink, gold and blue print sleeveless gown. Perfect for wedding or cocktail event . Waist is encrusted with multi color jeweled. Bust: 34” / waist ...Category
1960s American Evening Gowns
- Norma Walters Tartan Plaid Silk & Sequin Two Piece Dress, 1980'sBy Norma WaltersLocated in Atlanta, GAWe are mad for plaid! And it is especially fun when applied to a 1980's Norma Walter's strong shouldered silhouette and black sequins are added for a l...Category
1980s Hong Kong Cocktail Dresses
- Maxi Thailand Floral Sun Dress With Quilted Jacket, C.1970Located in Atlanta, GAC.1970 cotton sun dress with a coordinating quilted bolero jacket and tie belt by Thai Lines of Bangkok. Both pieces are in a tropical hand screened floral print in vibrant shades of magenta, purple, yellow and green. The dress zips and hooks at the back with pockets and lingerie style straps that cross at the back. The jacket hooks...Category
1970s Thai Maxi Dress