In yesterday's post we looked at a costume from a soon-to-be released film that may actually be a mix and mash of different traditional costumes. Let's continue the theme of reinvented traditional styles with two further examples: the evening dress in this picture was created by Worth's designer, Madame Elspeth Champcommunal (British fashion designer and the first editor of Vogue in Britain) in 1938.
Worn by Lady Dovercourt, the garment was made with an Indian sari fabric and included a flamboyant bustle feature. The design is a perfect example of a trend that was very popular in the mid-to-late '30s and that consisted in fashion designers being inspired by Indian clothing traditions and Victorian fashion styles.
What's the equally striking design at the back? It's Charles James' evening "Spider Wrap" (1937) made with silk and cellulose (and shown with a reproduction satin dress) it was a fashion statement: the shiny black fabric is entirely modernistic while the styling references various cutural traditions that require women to cover their heads in public. Both the designs are part of the Brighton Museum and Art Gallery collection.
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