{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O117683"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O117683/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM6145/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM6145/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM6145","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6147","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6146","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6144","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6143","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O117683","accessionNumber":"T.117&A-1974","objectType":"Evening dress","titles":[{"title":"Cygne Noir (Black Swan)","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"La Ligne Milieu du Siecle","type":"named collection"}],"summaryDescription":"This evening dress of silk satin and velvet, designed by Christian Dior (1905-57), is constructed in two parts.  The tight-fitting top is attached to the skirt with a series of complex fastenings.  The skirt itself is very full and heavy, with panels of integral silk velvet that create the appearance of a massive bow, which Dior described as the 'natural ornament' of a dress.\r\n\r\nThe dress is typical of Dior's collections of the time, which featured flying panels and protruding angles.","physicalDescription":"Evening dress consisting of a bodice and skirt of black silk satin, silk and velvet. ","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Christian Dior","id":"A1790"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Bianchini-Férier","id":"A6180"},"association":{"text":"manufacturer","id":"x33306"},"note":"Silk velvet and satin"}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"satin","id":"AAT132902"},{"text":"silk (textile)","id":"AAT243428"},{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Silk satin, silk, net and velvet","categories":[{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2007BM6145","2007BM6147","2007BM6146","2007BM6144","2007BM6143"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES307839"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES307839"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Evening bodice","id":""}],[{"text":"Evening skirt","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1949-1950","earliest":"1949-01-01","latest":"1950-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":"Autumn / Winter"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Baroness Antoinette de Ginsbourg","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Width","value":"23","unit":"in","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"waist of bodice","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Worn and given by Baroness Antoinette de Ginsbourg","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"<i>Cygne Noir</i> evening dress consisting of a bodice and skirt, silk satin and velvet, Christian Dior haute couture Autumn/Winter 1949, <i>Milieu du Siècle</i> line, Paris, France. Textiles by Bianchini-Férier.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"<i>Christian Dior: Man of the Century</i> (Musee Christian Dior: Editions Artlys, 2005), p.120"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"de Rethy, E., <i>Christian Dior: The Early Years 1947-1957</i> (Thames & Hudson, 2001), p.43"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Miller, L., 'Perfect Harmony' in Wilcox, C., ed., <i>The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57</i> (V&A Publications, 2007), p.121 & pl.5.5"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Dior Archives, Paris"},{"reference":{"text":"<i>Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton</i>. London : H.M.S.O., 1971","id":"AUTH354373"},"details":"","free":""},{"reference":{"text":"Miller, Lesley Ellis, and Ana Cabrera Lafuente, with Claire Allen-Johnstone, eds. <u>Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion</u>. London: Thames & Hudson Ltd in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, 2021. ISBN 978-0-500-48065-6.","id":"AUTH389403"},"details":"This object features in the publication Silk: Fibre, Fabric and Fashion (2021)","free":""}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[{"text":"beaton","id":"N2787"}],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"'Cygne Noir' (Black Swan) evening dress (robe grand soir)\r\nChristian Dior (1905-57)\r\nParis\r\n1949-50 autumn/winter, Ligne Milieu du Siècle\r\n\r\nThis imposing gown is from Dior's sixth collection. He wrote of this time, 'A golden age seemed to have come again. War had passed out of sight and there were no other wars on the horizon. What did the weight of my sumptuous materials, my heavy velvets and brocades, matter? When hearts were light, mere fabrics could not weight the body down.' \r\n\r\nSilk velvet and faille, supplied by Bianchini Férier\r\n\r\nGiven by Baroness Antoinette de Ginsbourg\r\nV&A: T.117&A-1974","date":{"text":"22/09/2007-06/01/2008","earliest":"2007-09-22","latest":"2008-01-06"}}],"partNumbers":["T.117-1974","T.117A-1974"],"accessionNumberNum":"117","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1974,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Dior label number","id":"THES50280"},"number":"07232"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Evening skirt","Evening bodice"],"assets":["2019LH8257"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-28","recordCreationDate":"2005-10-17","availableToBook":true}}