{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O17899"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O17899/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BK4728/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2006BK4728/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2006BK4728","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BK4730","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006BK4731","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2006AV6237","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O17899","accessionNumber":"T.246&A-1974","objectType":"Evening dress","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"This evening dress is a replica of a 1955 design and was made especially for the Museum in 1971. Madame Grès trained as a sculptor and then turned to <i>haute couture</i>, becoming 'Alix', with premises in the Faubourg St Honoré in Paris. She re-opened at 1 rue de La Paix in 1941 as 'Grès'. A house press release described Madame Grès' personal manner of handling materials 'almost without seams', and how she 'induced manufacturers to produce jersey in large widths and took part in their researches to apply these techniques'.\r\n\r\nThis dress forms part of the Cecil Beaton Collection, brought together by the society photographer Sir Cecil Beaton (1904-1980). With great energy and determination, Beaton contacted the well-dressed elite of Europe and North America to help create this lasting monument to the art of dress. The Collection was exhibited in 1971, accompanied by a catalogue that detailed its enormous range.","physicalDescription":"Evening dress of fine white jersey consisting of thirteen straight panels joined and minutely pleated. There is no seam at the waist - the skirt and bodice are in one. The pleats are top-stitched at the waist and then carried on in a diagonal manner in the form-fitting bodice. Finally they are twisted and stitched at the neck to form a plaited edge. The dress has one strap over the left shoulder and the other is left bare.  The bodice pleats are couched onto a cream silk crepeline foundation which is boned and has a wired brassiere. A straight, heavy, white silk crêpe petticoat is attached to a white grosgrain waist stay. The dress fastens at the left seam with small hooks and eyes. The main seams and hem are machine-stitched but the rest of the garment is hand sewn. There is a narrow rouleau belt in the same jersey.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Grès, Madame","id":"A2179"},"association":{"text":"designer","id":"x36960"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"jersey","id":"x40212"},{"text":"silk","id":"AAT243428"}],"techniques":[{"text":"sewing","id":"AAT53658"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Pleated jersey, silk crepeline, boned, wired brassiere, silk crêpe, grosgrain, machine and hand stitched","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2006BK4728","2006BK4730","2006BK4731","2006AV6237"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES307941"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""},{"current":{"text":"004","id":"THES307941"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Evening dress","id":""}],[{"text":"Waist cord","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""},{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"Paris","id":"x29068"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"1971","earliest":"1971-01-01","latest":"1971-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""},{"date":{"text":"1955","earliest":"1955-01-01","latest":"1955-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed","id":"x29338"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by the designer","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"approximate footprint (mm): W700 x D600 x H1600","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Given by the designer, this dress was made in 1971 as an exact copy of a 1955 garment (especially for the Beaton exhibition).","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Evening dress and belt of fine jersey, designed by Madame Grès, Paris, 1971.","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"<i>Fashion : An Anthology by Cecil Beaton</i>. London : H.M.S.O., 1971","id":"AUTH354373"},"details":"382","free":""}],"production":"Made from the original design for the Beaton exhibition\n\nAttribution note: Made especially for the Beaton exhibition\nReason For Production: Exhibition","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":[],"partNumbers":["T.246-1974","T.246A-1974"],"accessionNumberNum":"246","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1974,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE","Evening dress","Waist cord"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-02-12","recordCreationDate":"1999-12-15","availableToBook":false}}