In yesterday's post we looked at costumes incorporating Commedia dell'Arte references integrated in a contemporary art installation. In that case the artist and the designer involved used black and white stripes, but Comedy of Manners costumes can incorporate stripes in a variety of colours.
In 1918 artist, illustrator and costume designer Umberto Brunelleschi came up for example with a costume for Scapino in Riccardo Pick Mangiagalli's Il carillon magico characterised by pink and white stripes.
Pink was pretty popular before then: in the mid-1800s it was considered a very feminine colour and was often employed for dresses and gowns, but also for small, decorative elements and accessories such as shoes and bonnets.
At the time pink and white stripes were also a favourite motif for Spring and Summer day dresses. It is not rare to stumble on the Internet upon images of American or British designs such as the one in the second image in this post, showing a pink and white striped muslin summer gown from around 1864. Though simple, the dress featured a distinctive fan motif on the front and the back and a watch pocket at the waist and it was trimmed with cotton torchon lace.
Dating around 1870s the ensemble in the third image in this post comprised a pink and white striped bodice with 19 pearl buttons, a three tiered flounced pink skirt and a draped pink and white striped overskirt. The day dress in the fourth image (from 1873-1875 and from the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag in The Netherlands) was slightly more functional than this one, but had a similar draped overskirt that created a contrast with the upper part of the dress that looks simple and practical.
In the mid-1900s pink and white stripes often reappeared in Schiaparelli's designs such as the visually striking 1948 satin and faille dress with a dramatic gathering of fabric into the bow at the back and a flared train.
The alternation of matte and shiny fabric created a sort of surreal effect since it referenced the shape of the body and the skeleton beneath the skin.
Schiap also designed accessories employing pink and white stripes like the 1950 gloves and hat (the latter looking strikingly similar to Brunelleschi's hat for Scapino), part of the Philadelphia Museum of Art collection.
Pink and white stripes continue to be a popular motif in our days, particularly for Spring as the colour combination evokes freshness and vitality, themes that go well with Easter arriving next week.
Related articles
