{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O117697"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O117697/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM6294/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM6294/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM6294","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6292","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6295","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6297","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6296","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O117697","accessionNumber":"T.12&A-1977","objectType":"Cocktail dress","titles":[{"title":"Pérou","type":"assigned by artist"},{"title":"'Perou' (Peru)","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This dress comes from Christian Dior's (1905-57) H-Line collection of autumn/winter 1954-55.  The H-Line was one of Dior’s most controversial silhouettes, and the press debated whether it should stand for ‘Heavenly’ or ‘Horrid’.  \r\n\r\nThe design of the H-Line deliberately flattened the bosom to create a moulded, elongated shape that many found unfeminine.  Dior maintained that it was inspired by Tudor dress, this influence can be seen here in the rich geometric embroidery of this dress.\r\n\r\nThe dress was worn with a gold satin coat, originally designed with a dark fur lining.","physicalDescription":"Evening dress of heavy gold satin entirely covered with embroidery in gold metal thread and couched gold metal thread of decorative interlocking hexagons around embroidered flowers of silver metal thread.\r\n\r\nThe dress is below knee-length with straight cut top which flattens the bosom, shoulder straps and a panelled front.  The sides and back of the bodice are stitched down to a partial peplum around the hips, with the skirt flowing beneath in unpressed pleats.\r\n\r\nThe bodice and skirt are lined in white silk organza but the yoke of the skirt in unlined.\r\n\r\nThe dress fastens with a centre back zip and the skirt with press studs and hooks and eyes.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Christian Dior","id":"A1790"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Bodin Brossin","id":"A19064"},"association":{"text":"embroiderers","id":"AAT25352"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Christian Dior","id":"A4421"},"association":{"text":"","id":""},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"Silk satin","id":"x33509"},{"text":"silver thread","id":"x29414"},{"text":"gold metal thread","id":"x38112"},{"text":"organza","id":"x30432"},{"text":"taffeta","id":"AAT249434"}],"techniques":[{"text":"embroidering","id":"AAT53653"},{"text":"couching (embroidering)","id":"AAT53654"},{"text":"Weaving","id":"AAT53642"},{"text":"Hand sewing","id":"AAT257459"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Satin with silver thread embroidery and couched gold metal thread, lined with silk organza","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"},{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Embroidery","id":"THES48960"},{"text":"Formal wear","id":"THES48950"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2007BM6294","2007BM6292","2007BM6295","2007BM6297","2007BM6296"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES307578"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"003","id":"THES307838"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Evening coat","id":""}],[{"text":"Evening dress","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1954","earliest":"1954-01-01","latest":"1954-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":"autumn/winter"}],"associatedObjects":[{"object":{"text":"NCOL.820-2019","id":"O1513932"},"association":""}],"creditLine":"Given by Cecil Beaton","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Circumference","value":"","unit":"","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"hem","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Christian Dior Paris 03951'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Stitched into dress side seam"},{"content":"'No. 38'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Pale blue tie on label "}],"objectHistory":"Worn by Madame Lopez-Willshaw.\r\n\r\nAn identical model was worn at the showing of Dior's Autumn/winter 1954-1955 H line collection to Princess Margaret at Blenheim Palace on 3 November 1954.","historicalContext":"Mme. Arturo Lopez-Willshaw (Patricia), Chilean-born hostess, style leader; Paris.  Pronounced 'International Best-Dressed Woman' by <i>Vanity Fair</i> in 1960.","briefDescription":"<i>Pérou</i>evening coat and dress, gold silk satin embroidered in metal thread, Christian Dior, haute couture autumn/winter 1954, '<i>H</i>' line, Paris, France","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"American <i>Vogue</i> May 15, 1953"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Dior Archives, Paris"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Dior Archives, Paris"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"British Pathé film reel; ref ITN BP08115449312.\r\n(www.itnsource.com)"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"British Pathé film reel; ref ITN BGX50119011\r\n(www.itnsource.com)"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Pathé news reel, Gaumont Pathé Archives\r\n5435GJ 00008"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wilcox, C., 'Dior's Golden Age' in Wilcox, C., ed., <i>The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London 1947-57</i> (V&A Publications, 2007), p.28"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Oriole Cullen and Connie Karol Burks, <i>Christian Dior</i>, (V&A: London, 2019)"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[{"text":"Tudor flowers","id":"AAT9973"}],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"<i>Pérou</i> ensemble\r\n(‘Peru’)\n\r\nChristian Dior (1905–57)\r\nHaute couture, Autumn/Winter 1954\r\nH line\r\nSilk (satin) and metal thread\n\r\nDior showed this H line dress and coat at his Blenheim Palace fashion show in November 1954. Thirteen Dior models accompanied him to Britain for the show and his top model, the Russian Alla Ilchun, wore this ensemble. Embroiderers at Rébé took over 600 hours to create the dress’s elaborate gold metal decoration. Loyal Dior client Patricia López Willshaw ordered the dress and later donated it to the V&A.\n\r\nVictoria and Albert Museum - T.12&A-1977 - Given by Mme López Willshaw\r\n\n\nChristian Dior: Designer of Dreams\r\n","date":{"text":"02/02/2019-14/07/2019","earliest":"2019-02-02","latest":"2019-07-14"}},{"text":"'Perou' evening dress and coat (robe du soir courte)\r\nChristian Dior (1905-57)\r\nParis\r\n1954-55 autumn/winter, Ligne H\r\n\r\nThis comes from a small collection that Dior showed in London in 1954, in the presence of Princess Margaret. The embroidery is exceptionally heavy and dense. Dior said that such a finish had to be used with great discrimination: 'being so rich, it may not look young. I advise you to use it for short evening dresses, full or narrow skirted.' \r\n\r\nSilk satin, the dress embroidered by Brossin de Méré with gilt and silver metal thread; the coat originally lined with fur\r\n\r\nGiven by Mme Lopez Willshaw\r\nV&A: T.12&A-1977","date":{"text":"22/09/2007-06/01/2008","earliest":"2007-09-22","latest":"2008-01-06"}}],"partNumbers":["T.12A-1977","T.12-1977"],"accessionNumberNum":"12","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1977,"otherNumbers":[{"type":{"text":"Dior label number","id":"THES50280"},"number":"03951"},{"type":{"text":"RF number","id":"THES57673"},"number":"1976/3042, MA/1/B832"}],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Evening coat","Evening dress"],"assets":["2019LH7451"],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-01","recordCreationDate":"2005-10-18","availableToBook":true}}