The Ornamented Being
Ornamented: -verb: Adorn; beautify. Be·ing: -noun: Fulfillment of possibilities; essential completeness.
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Poiret
c. 1913 France
FIT Museum
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Fancy dress costume, 1911
Paul Poiret (French, 1879–1944)
Seafoam green silk gauze, silver lamé, blue foil and blue and silver coiled cellophane cord appliqué, and blue, silver, coral, pink, and turquoise cellulose beadingThe Met says: Poiret’s “The Thousand and Second Night” party revolved around a fantastic evocation of the East. For the occasion, Poiret required his 300 guests to dress in oriental costumes. Those who failed to do so were given the choice of leaving or outfitting themselves in Persian-style clothes designed by the couturier, including the highly controversial “harem” trousers that formed part of his spring 1911 collection. Poiret thus used the occasion of a private party, staged as a cross between an elaborate fashion show and an extravagant theatrical performance, to promote his latest creations.
Denise Poiret, who played the role of the “favorite” to Poiret’s “sultan,” endorsed her husband’s “harem” trousers by wearing them under a wired skirted tunic. Two years later, in 1913, Poiret launched this crinoline-hooped silhouette in a theatrical production of Jacques Richepin’s historical drama,Le Minaret, to be quickly followed in Poiret’s fashion collections of the same year. A fancy-dress costume worn in the privacy of an exclusive party became the prototype for a “minaret” or “lampshade” tunic worn in a theatrical production. Thus publicized, the silhouette was then modified for the fashion public.
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Princess “Daisy” of Pless,
née Mary Theresa Olivia Cornwallis-West
(1873-1943)As the Queen of Sheba
Princess Daisy was considered the more beautiful of the two Queens of Sheba at the Ball with four black slaves carrying her train. Her outfit, one of many designed by Mrs Mason of London, “must have cost several hundred pounds” - according to one American newspaper, which also declared that “anything more beautiful than Princess Pless’s dress has never been seen.”
Other objects, creating an oriental ambience, can be seen in the photograph - such as the fur throw and a backdrop in a style of the Dutch classicist and orientalist painter, Alma Tadema who was active in England. Although the Devonshire House Ball had taken place on the night of the 2 July 1897, this photograph was made over six months later and was printed in the Album.
In the standing image from the same photographic session, Princess Daisy is seen with an ostrich feather fan. Very unusually for the Princess, her loosely fitting dress and stance fail to highlight her minute waist.
The extant four negatives show clearly how a sitter, even in a fancy dress, might go through a variety of poses and use various studio props in an effort to add some dynamism to a photographic study. As Princess Daisy was a well known performer on stage for society and charitable events, it might be surmised that she, and not the photographer, was directing the shoot.
Oh good Lord I am in love.
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Designed by Travis Banton for the Chinese-American actress, Anna May Wong, to wear in the film “Limehouse Blues”.
“A dragon in gold and silver sequins shimmers and slithers down the dress coiling around the back of the dress and the train.”
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Amsterdam, Netherlands
Woman’s Robe à la Française, 1740-1760
“Costume/clothing principle attire/entire body, Silk satin with silk and metallic-thread supplementary weft-float patterning, Center back length: 62 in. (157.48 cm)”
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I feel like I am going to owe everyone an apology because I’ve stumbled upon an older folder of mine with nothing but dresses designed by Callot Soeurs which are relevant to the posts I have done today. So if you will all bear with me I’ll move onto something new tomorrow. Which needs to probably be Edwardian since my folder is MASSIVE.
I’m fond of this piece because it’s very liberating AND its from 1910 which makes this Edwardian. (My Callot post is going to jump around with a few Edwardian pieces thrown in with mostly 20s.)
I love the oriental influence. Pop this Paul Poiret turban on from 1911 and I imagine you would be the belle of the ball! :D
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c. 1880
The Met
Le robe d’interior was worn solely in the home by the hostess or by those in attendance at overnight or weekend house parties. The visiting house guest was afforded the leisure of changing for afternoon tea.
Celebrating the enhancement of a woman’s beauty these gowns, derived from the undress, were special garments. The afternoon tea gowns were visual confections. Intimate and often more luxurious than even an evening toilette their construction was loose, floaty, and exotic. Themes of the Orient were influential reflecting in the kimono drapings and classical motifs.-Ellen Easton
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The tubular shape and folkloric trimmings he presented were continuously part of the Poiret vocabulary as well as draping, which proved ingenious in the time of tailoring and drafting.
