{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O363052"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O363052/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FT0428/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2012FT0428/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2012FT0428","copyright":"©Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O363052","accessionNumber":"T.10-1977","objectType":"Evening dress","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"","physicalDescription":"Evening dress of white crepe with very large, applied, scale-like geometric design in purple velvet. Purple velvet sleeves and neckline edging .Full length semifitted sheath with medium low wide round neck and long straight sleeves. Centre back fastening with white metal zip, lining of white silk with the slightly flaring hem faced with purple silk.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Pierre Balmain","id":"A2012"},"association":{"text":"designed by","id":"x40048"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Balmain","id":"AUTH338201"},"association":{"text":"designed for","id":"x41471"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"velvet","id":"AAT133711"},{"text":"crepe","id":"AAT183741"}],"techniques":[{"text":"appliqué","id":"AAT53646"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Crepe, velvet, lined and faced with silk, metal zip fastening","categories":[{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Womenswear","id":"THES49044"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2012FT0428"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"010","id":"THES307278"},"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":"1969","earliest":"1969-01-01","latest":"1969-12-31"},"association":{"text":"designed and made","id":"x39722"},"note":"Autumn-Winter 1970-71 collection"}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Cecil Beaton","dimensions":[],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"Donated by Cecil Beaton in 1977 along with a large group of other dresses that were exhibited by him in Salisbury in 1974. This dress is probably the one identfied in the 1974 exhibition catalogue as a 1974 purple velvet appliqué dress from Rome worn by the Viscountess Hambledon (Maria Carmela Smith, née Countess Maria Carmela Attolico di Adelfia).\n\nResearch carried out in April 2026 by Daniel Milford-Cottam confirmed that this dress is actually a 1969 design from Pierre Balmain of Paris, for his Autumn-Winter 1970 collection. A very similar design in the same fabrics, without sleeves, was photographed in 1969 for L'Officiel Magazine. For the photoshoot, the model wore the dress with coordinating purple velvet shoes and a large purple velvet stole lined with white. The National Museum, Norway, have another version of the L'Officiel gown in black crepe with blue velvet, showing the original sleeveless cut with high round neckline (museum number OK-1985-0122), and another dress from the same collection in purple velvet with a black silk skirt appliquéd with large purple velvet rondels (OK-1991-0026). The latter dress has long sleeves and a black contrast neckline binding, which indicates that when Viscountess Hambledon commissioned her dress from Balmain, she requested that sleeves and a contrasting neckline be added to her order. This is very typical of clothing ordered bespoke, as clients would choose the garments they wanted and then request adjustments, such as a different sleeve or length. A pieced wool Balmain coat from the same collection showing the same graphic design in shades of brown, black and cream, is held by the Metropolitan Museum, New York (museum number 1977.59.7)\n\n- Daniel Milford-Cottam, 21/04/2026\n","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Evening dress of crepe, velvet and silk. Pierre Balmain, 1969 (for Autumn-Winter 1970-71 collection)","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":"https://web.archive.org/web/20260421131154/https://www.nasjonalmuseet.no/en/collection/object/OK-1985-0122\r\n\r\nBlue and black version of the dress held by the National Museum of Norway"}],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["T.10-1977"],"accessionNumberNum":"10","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":1977,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-21","recordCreationDate":"2009-06-24","availableToBook":true}}