{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O59089"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O59089/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM6284/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2007BM6284/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"low","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2007BM6284","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6285","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6286","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false},{"assetRef":"2007BM6288","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":null},"record":{"systemNumber":"O59089","accessionNumber":"T.86-2001","objectType":"Evening dress","titles":[],"summaryDescription":"Formal evening gowns were an essential part of a society lady’s wardrobe.  Accessorised with jewels, these gowns provided a glittering show at receptions and balls, the opera or the theatre.  \r\n\r\nThis evening dress from around 1950, designed by the London couturier Hardy Amies (1909–2003), is made of crimson silk satin and looks very sumptuous.  However, the shape of the dress is created by a lining of thick paper-like material called Vilene, instead of the layers of tulle and silk net petticoats traditionally used by French couturiers.  Textile rationing had only just been lifted in Britain (1949) and fabric was still very scarce, so Vilene was used as an economical alternative.","physicalDescription":"Long evening dress made of crimson satin.  Sleeveless, heavily boned and wired bodice with flap band of satin at top. Large, draped straps cross the shoulders from the front of the bodice to the back of the bodice ending into a large bow. Long, large and slightly gathered skirt with 2 bows on each side at hips level.\r\n\r\nThe skirt is lined with vilene for stiffness.  The back zip has been re-tacked.","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Amies, Edwin Hardy","id":"A6913"},"association":{"text":"maker","id":"AAT251917"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"satin","id":"AAT132902"},{"text":"Vilene","id":"x36468"}],"techniques":[{"text":"machine sewing","id":"AAT257463"},{"text":"Hand sewing","id":"AAT257459"},{"text":"Weaving","id":"AAT53642"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Machine stitched silk satin, lined with vilene","categories":[{"text":"Evening wear","id":"THES48999"},{"text":"Fashion","id":"THES48957"},{"text":"Clothing","id":"THES48975"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&F","id":"THES48601"},"images":["2007BM6284","2007BM6285","2007BM6286","2007BM6288"],"imageResolution":"low","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"002","id":"THES307837"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"Evening dress","id":""}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"England","id":"x28826"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1950","earliest":"1945-01-01","latest":"1954-12-31"},"association":{"text":"made","id":"x28654"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Given by Lister Bolton","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Circumference","value":"83","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"bust","note":""},{"dimension":"Circumference","value":"57","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"waist","note":""},{"dimension":"Diameter","value":"145","unit":"cm","qualifier":"","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"skirt","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[{"content":"Hardy Amies","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 in the skirt"}],"objectHistory":"This dress was made for Mrs Jean Follett Holt in 1954. Mrs Follett Holt was the President of The Red Cross, Chelmsford, and wore the dress to The Red Cross Ball in London. She was painted wearing the dress in a portrait by Baron Killi di Pauli.","historicalContext":"Textile rationing was lifted in Britain in 1949, following the extreme scarcity of fabrics in the war, and immediate post-war, years.  Vilene was used as a less expensive alternative to layers of silk net to create fullness.","briefDescription":"Evening dress of crimson silk satin, lined with Vilene","bibliographicReferences":[{"reference":{"text":"","id":""},"details":"","free":""}],"production":"Late 1940s / early 1950s","productionType":{"text":"Haute couture","id":"THES48861"},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[{"text":"Evening dress\r\nHardy Amies (1909-2003)\r\nLondon\r\nEarly 1950s\r\n\r\nThis behemoth of an evening dress is heavily boned and wired, and lined with stiff Vilene, a less expensive alternative to the multiple layers of silk net used by Parisian couturiers. Amies wrote, 'Today, any dress, whether day or evening, demands that it shall flatter the bust into well defined roundness. The depth of décolleté now permissible is also considerable.'\r\n\r\nSilk satin, lined with Vilene\r\n\r\nGiven by Mrs Lister Bolton\r\nV&A: T.86-2001","date":{"text":"22/09/2007-06/01/2008","earliest":"2007-09-22","latest":"2008-01-06"}}],"partNumbers":["T.86-2001"],"accessionNumberNum":"86","accessionNumberPrefix":"T","accessionYear":2001,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-10","recordCreationDate":"2001-05-18","availableToBook":false}}