1925 Mariano Fortuny Couture Gold Metallic Stenciled Silk-Velvet Tabard Gown
View Similar Items
1925 Mariano Fortuny Couture Gold Metallic Stenciled Silk-Velvet Tabard Gown
About the Item
- Designer:
- Style:Fortuny (In the Style Of)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Material Notes:Silk-Velvet, Stenciling, Glass-Beads, Silk
- Condition:Wear consistent with age and use.
- Seller Location:Beverly Hills, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: AU121011309270
Mariano Fortuny
Spanish fashion designer Mariano Fortuny was a true artist who worked with beautiful fabrics as his medium of choice. Although he showed talent in painting, sculpting, photography and architecture at an early age, fashion was where he really shined.
Fortuny was an innovator in the world of textile design, he drew on classical Greek tunics for his rich and interesting garments and worked with a revolutionary system for creating pleats (he was indeed proficient with product design, too, and developed lighting systems for theatre performances). He designed a range of clothing for his couture house, and today, vintage Fortuny evening gowns, gemstone-colored day dresses, coats and accessories like drawstring bags are known for their fine craftsmanship and signature elegance.
Fortuny was born Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo in 1871 in Granada, into a family of artists. His father died when Fortuny was only three years old, and his mother moved the family to Paris. As a child, Fortuny was fond of experimenting and figuring out how things worked. He even dyed pieces of fabric from his family's textile collection, which had been amassed from shops around Europe.
In 1889, the family moved again, this time to Venice. Here, Fortuny found inspiration in the past, which would influence his future designs. Not long after, the young Fortuny set off to travel the continent. In 1897, he visited Paris and fell in love with a dressmaker named Henriette Negrin. She became his muse, his wife and his creative partner — Negrin worked with Fortuny on clothing designs and fabrics — and the two settled in the French capital.
A lifelong inventor, Fortuny began patenting his creations in 1901. By 1934, he had registered more than 20 patents. At the same time, his fashion career was taking off. In 1907, he designed the Delphos gown with Negrin, which French novelist and essayist Marcel Proust described as "faithfully antique but markedly original." Fortuny had worked from his home until 1922 when increased demand required large-scale production. He opened a factory in Venice, where due to the scarcity of silk, he began experimenting with cotton.
In 1927, New York interior designer Elsie McNeill traveled to Paris to meet Fortuny and became his exclusive American distributor. She returned to the United States and introduced Fortuny's designs to New World audiences. Shops opened in Paris, New York and London. Toward the end of the 1930s, Fortuny returned to painting and stepped away from the busy fashion industry.
After Fortuny passed away in 1949, McNeill took over the label and continued running it until 1988, when it was purchased by the Riad family, who remain at the helm of Fortuny today.
Find vintage Mariano Fortuny clothing and textiles on 1stDibs.
- Vintage 1998 Pierre Balmain Haute Couture Sheer Illusion Appliqué Net Lace GownBy Pierre Balmain Haute Couture, Oscar De La RentaLocated in Beverly Hills, CABreathtaking Pierre Balmain haute couture runway gown from when Oscar de la Renta was head designer. The House of Balmain always creates a...Category
1990s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1930s Worth Haute Couture Beaded Black Velvet & Silk Billow-Sleeve DressBy House of WorthLocated in Beverly Hills, CAThis superlative couture beaded art-deco dress by The House of Worth is in a class of its own. Charles Frederick Worth died in 1895, when Jean-Philippe ...Category
1930s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1990 Yves Saint Laurent Haute Couture Documented Sculpted Strapless GownBy Yves Saint LaurentLocated in Beverly Hills, CABreathtaking Yves Saint Laurent Haute-Couture gown from his iconic 1990 spring-summer documented collection. It is insanely chic with its fluid femme fatale sculpted construction. Th...Category
1990s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1970s Madame Grès Haute Couture Beaded Berry Motif Navy Sheer Silk GownLocated in Beverly Hills, CAGorgeous Madame Gres haute couture two-piece dress ensemble dating back to the mid 1970's. Madame Gres felt that the true job of the couturier was not to create a name for one's self, as many designers do, but to pay rigorous attention to the clothing. This stunning navy-blue sheer silk organza dress has so much detail, you can tell it was made with loving devotion. The bodice is a unique cap-sleeve hourglass nipped-waist design with figure flattering attached sash-belt. The sash can be wrapped around in a cummerbund style or pulled back as a waist-tie. The sparkling holly berry novelty hand-done bead work really makes this piece modern and relevant. The work itself must have taken weeks. The full swing-skirt finished this dress off with an effortless romantic vibe. Grès had an extraordinarily long career, working until the late 1980's. Through each decade, which encompassed huge changes in fashion, her work remained consistent and timeless. Any one of her elegant gowns...Category
1970s French Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1990s Zandra Rhodes Sheer Black Tulle Bare Shoulder Tassel High-Low GownBy Zandra RhodesLocated in Beverly Hills, CABrreathtaking Zandra Rhodes black gothic evening gown dating back to the early 1990's. Zandra Rhodes was one of the British designers who put London at the forefront of the internati...Category
1990s English Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- Vintage 1950's Plaid Print Cotton Strapless Shelf-Bust Bustle Full Dress & ShawlLocated in Beverly Hills, CAIn this gorgeous 1950's graphic plaid party dress ensemble, the detailed construction and meticulous attention to detail are comparable to what you will find in modern couture. This ...Category
1950s American Aesthetic Evening Dresses
- ALAÏA 1990 black knitted mini dressBy Azzedine AlaïaLocated in Genève, CHAlaïa knitted mini dress with sheer raised edge skirt -Back closing with a hidden set zipper -Long sleeves -Nude knitted lining -Made in Italy -100% V...Category
1990s Italian Mini Dress
- ALBERTO BINI 1990 leather mini dress with gold tone Lion NEW with tagBy AlbertoLocated in Genève, CHThis vintage dress from Alberto Bini is coming directly from the 90s, and it's also a beautiful ode to Versace universe. -Lion detail in metal gold tone ...Category
1980s French Mini Dress
- Chanel by Karl Lagerfeld Vintage Off-Shoulder Black Dress 1990sBy Chanel BoutiqueLocated in Berlin, BEThe perfect little black vintage dress by Chanel. This classic beauty is a 1990s piece designed by Karl Lagerfeld. This elegant Chanel dress is an incredible classic that will truly...Category
1990s French Mini Dresses
- Gianni Versace 1997 Couture fall black leather gownBy Gianni Versace, Gianni Versace CoutureLocated in CAPELLE AAN DEN IJSSEL, ZHGianni Versace was an influential Italian fashion designer who founded the Versace brand. In the fall of 1997, he presented his couture collection in Paris, which was widely acclaimed for its opulent fabrics, bold prints, and intricate detailing. The collection featured several notable pieces, such as a black evening gown with a plunging neckline and a gold-encrusted jacket. However, just a few days later, on July 15th, 1997, Gianni was tragically murdered outside his Miami Beach home. Despite his untimely death, his contributions to the world of fashion continue to be celebrated, and his legacy remains an inspiration too many. This collection is iconic as it’s the final collection before his passing. The collection very much showed a new direction for the house. Which was heading away from the bombshell curves and souped-up sex appeal that the house previously focussed on. But took more Inspirations to the new wave John Galliano and Mcqueen were leading. MET Gala: Salma Hayek y sus mejores momentos en la alfombra roja Vogue For the 1997 Met Gala Salma Hayek wore a very similar Gianni Versace look...Category
1990s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Pamella Roland Breaded Emerald Evening GownBy Pamella RolandLocated in Scottsdale, AZA timeless evening gown with beautiful beaded sleeves by Pamella Roland. This dress is a classic piece that could be worn for a day or night time event. A gown like this in your closet is sure to always be a go to every time! It is composed of silk satin with nice, billowy sleeves that end with an elegant beaded detailing, a feature that really makes this gown glow. Pair this gown with Yves Saint Laurent strappy heels, Kennth Lane earrings and a Prada handbag for a perfect evening look, or dress it down with Chanel flats for a daytime look. Either way you’ll be shining! Pamella Roland debuted its Fall 2002 couture...Category
21st Century and Contemporary American Evening Dresses
- 1980s Lily Rubin Carwash DressLocated in Scottsdale, AZThese photos do no justice to the movement of this incredible 1980s Lily Rubin Dress! Covered in long strips of black carwash style fabric. Flattering empir...Category
1980s American Maxi Dress
Recently Viewed
View AllRead More
This Two-Piece Beaded Gown by Puerto Rican Designer David Fernandez Is the Embodiment of 1970s Glam
On the Met Gala red carpet, this vintage ensemble would bring the heat.
Madonna Wore the Same Plunging Azzedine Alaïa Design on the Cover of ‘Cosmo’ in 1987
The gold silk stunner was part of a knockout collection that changed the trajectory of Alaïa's then-troubled brand.