{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O15658"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O15658/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JP7381/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2016JP7381/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2016JP7381","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JP7380","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JP7382","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JP7384","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2016JP7383","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BF2938","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O15658","accessionNumber":"T.252-1981","objectType":"Evening dress","titles":[{"title":"Brocéliante","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"This evening dress, designed by Pierre Balmain in 1954, has a pink satin bow that provides an elegant final touch to a glamorous evening dress. The bow is placed in the small of the back where satin sash and draped skirt meet in a series of asymmetrical, diagonal gathers. The pearl white satin fabric of the dress is shot through with silver metallic threads and woven with a pattern of small thistles and painstakingly hand painted in pastel shades, while the bodice is embellished with leaves appliquéd with minute stitches. The dress was worn by the Austrian film star Lilli Palmer in the 1956 film <i>Teufel im Seide</i> (Devil in Silk).","physicalDescription":"Evening sheath dress in pearl white silk satin brocaded with thistles and silver shot threads. Hand-painted in pastel shades. Appliqué leaves on the bodice, and further trimmed with pink satin sash and ribbons.\n\nStrapless, and terminates with a bow at the back. With a white cotton net boned corset with suspenders. White grosgrain waistband with the black and white satin 'PIERRE BALMAIN PARIS' label. A straight cream satin slip is attached to the outside of the corset at the waist.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Balmain, Pierre","id":"A2012"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"AAT25190"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"satin","id":"AAT132902"},{"text":"metal thread","id":"x30421"}],"techniques":[],"materialsAndTechniques":"Brocaded silk satin with metal thread, hand-painted, appliquéd, and trimmed with satin and ribbons, and cotton net and boned corset","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Formal wear","id":"THES48950"},{"text":"Textiles","id":"THES48885"}],"styles":[{"text":"mid 20th century","id":"x36068"}],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2016JP7381","2016JP7380","2016JP7382","2016JP7384","2016JP7383","2006BF2938"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"001","id":"THES404189"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Evening dress","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"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":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Miss Lilli Palmer","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Circumference","value":"52.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"waistband","note":""},{"dimension":"Circumference","value":"80","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"bust","note":""},{"dimension":"Length","value":"117","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"CB bodice to hem (not including train)","note":"approx measurement"}],"dimensionsNote":"Small size 10","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"'Pierre Balmain Paris'","inscriber":{"name":{"text":"","id":""},"association":{"text":"","id":""}},"date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"description":"","interpretation":"","language":"","medium":"","method":"","position":"","script":"","translation":"","transliteration":"","type":"","note":"Label"}],"objectHistory":"This dress was worn by Lilli Palmer and given by her sister Mrs. Hilde J. Ross. The dress was worn by Lilli Palmer in the 1956 German film 'Teufel in Seide' (Devil in Silk) for which she won 'Best Actress of the Year' award.\r\n\r\nA Lanvin dress also in the collection uses the identical silk fabric in a different colourway (with shades of rose pink on a cream ground). However the cut of the Lanvin indicates it was made several years later, in about 1960, suggesting that the fabric was re-issued and taken up by Lanvin without either house realising it had been used/was being reused. See T.219-1991.\n\nAn original sketch from Patrimoine Balmain's archives for this dress confirms its date as Autumn-Winter 1954 and the title of the design as Brocéliante.","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"'Brocéliante' evening sheath dress in brocaded silk satin with metal thread and hand-painted, designed by Pierre Balmain, Paris, Autumn-Winter 1954","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"Wilcox, C. & Mendes, V., <font -u>Modern Fashion in Detail</font>, London: V&A Publications, 1991, p.90., ISBN 1 85177 032 1"},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"'Avedon Photographs 1947-1977' (Thames & Hudson: 1978), Image.29."},{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"V&A R/F"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.252-1981"],"accessionNumberNum":"252","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1981,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2025-08-15","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}