Silver Fashion from Vintage, Designers, and 2013 Runway Show

Lately I have been fascinated with fashion in silver fabrics. From the Art Deco period to this Spring and Summer 2013 runway look. So where did it all start? Doing a little bit of research I found these bits of interesting information. 

In the 14th century China cloth of gold was called Marramas and a very similar cloth was made of silver. And, to this day the silver cloth similar to Marramas is made in India and Europe. 

Throughout history metallic fabric has been very common among the nobility and those of wealth. Charlotte, Queen Victoria's cousin was married in a wedding gown made of metallic cloth.

Princess Charlotte's 1816 wedding dress, this dress has been altered, the 'apron' is not original

Dresses from the 1920s often showed flare and style in gold and silver. Although, the gold and silver in these dresses were usually accomplished by bead and sequin work.

A lovely beaded flapper 1920's dress

1920's cream and gold lame evening dress

1920's sequin dress

Today's modern metallic fabrics made in the west are known

as lamé. 

Lanvin Silver Lame Evening Ensemble 1930

Vionnet Dress - Fall/Winter 1938-39

Moving on to the 60's and 70's starting with this silk jersey, the dress below is made of silk jersey and absolutely stunning

Dior 1960 Evening ensemble, silk jersey

The lovely Françoise Hardy in a metal-link jumpsuit by Paco Rabanne, 1968

Thierry Mugler, 1979

As we go forward in time to current fashion we have more stunning silver gowns with beautiful draping and bead and sequin work.

Versace Fall 2011

Marchesa Pre-Spring 2012

Georges Hobeika Spring Summer 2013 Ready to Wear

And, one final pretty one ~ no designer's name or date came with this one.

Hope you liked my current obsession with silver (and a touch of gold) gown, dresses and jumpsuits...

And, I would love it if you joined this blog and get the next color obsession, it is rather bold and wild, but that will come after the next free PDF knitting or crocheting instructions, until then, love fashion, love vintage!

Vogue 1955 Fashion Designs

These are some of the designs that caught my eye in the Vogue's magazine Jan to July 1955 issues.

Lilli Ann for young and exciting women of all ages. Tissue silk frock, exclusive "love letters" print, designed in Paris...dramatic chiffon drape at  neckline and Austrian hand-cut rhinestone clip...with white cerise or emerald, or peach with emerald, sizes 8-18, March 15, 1955.

 

Sophie's Twilight Silk  - The Envelope Flare, the lines seem to flow of their own free will - graceful, buoyant, smooth. Over skirted with flare, and scooped low with Sophie's shirred molding. Crisp peau de soie in pink, cornflower, beige or black. Misses' or women's sizes at $225

Evening Shadows by Will Steinman - designed by Ed Shore. Display of light and dark...the tracery of lace over rayon taffeta, the shoulders circled by a film of organdy. Black velvet streamers. In Dr. Strauss cotton lace. Black, navy or honey-tan over white. Sizes 8-16. $69.95

Another Lilli Ann, these spreads appear right after the cover of the Vogue Magazines. (Lilli Ann Designs for young and exciting women of all ages, tag line)...this divine bride's costume, cap-sleeved in empire silhouette, slim waisted, flare peplum jacket...fabric is silk and worsted "bamboo" woven in France for Lilly Ann...corsage is from Paris...pink, blue, or beige...about one hundred dollars at fine stores.

Lovely for a lovely figure (and wanted by same), Patou's new double-crossed décolletage (it's crossed high at the front); here, on a rather daring sheer black wool restaurant or night club dress. In America, at Wanamaker's, Phila. Diamond grooming: ear pendants; diamond pins skewering a chignon.

The caption of these next two reads as follows: On these two pages, which close Vogue's Paris collection report (more, next time), two late day dresses that sum up Dior's whole silhouette theory. This page: Dior's late-day black wool dress - newly waisted: the whole midsection, rippling and flexible, from bosom to hipbone, knotted just there to create the impression of a high waistline (a strong theme in his collection). Dress and crescent hat: here at Henri Bendel; Marshall Field; Frederick and Nelson. Dress, and the stole Dior shows it - of Emba Cerulean mutation mink: Holt Renfrew of Canada.

Facing page: Dior's black faille dinner costume. The "A" line, strongly accented in both dress and tunic coat. The coat-line starting with close set shoulders, slides smoothly past the waistline (it's there, but chiefly by implication) and then sweeps wide. The dress has the same lines - with the difference of a high square neckline and shoestring straps, and the widest skirt-sweep in Dior collection. Shown with an enormous black straw cartwheel.

A pale grey-beige woollen dress, ready for it's own furs when the coats come off - a crescent of matching wool banded with Norwegian blue fox. By Sylvan Rich for Martini; about $175, at Jay Thorpe; Hutzler's; and Bramson's.

This exclusive Fabric-of-France "Tissue de Triumph," the most elegant handwoven fabric, a brilliant blending silk, mohair and worsted, developed in France for Lilly Ann...for the full skirted coat...soft blue, pink, yellow, grey...about one hundred and twenty five dollars at fine stores, February 15, 1955.

This divine long-body suit in Fabric-of-France exclusive "bamboo" magnificent silk, mohair, worsted blend...sleeves are pleated for drama...buckles are Austria, studded with hand-cut brilliants...turquoise, coral, pale beige, mauve blue...about one hundred dollars at fine stores.

Seems I didn't capture all the details of this lovely dress by Seymour Jacobson.

I love all the details in these dresses. The second one has a very modern look to me with how the bodice plackets are sew over the shirring. I also love the wrapped waist of Dior's and the tucked waist of the woollen dress with the fur. The back detail on Patou's is stunning matched with the tight sheath and love the sleeve detail on the Lilly Ann next to the last photo.

Do you have a favorite and where would you wear it?

Wedding Dress Patterns

I am adding a series of wedding dress pattern to my peneloperose.artfire.com site. I am hoping most brides have picked out their wedding dresses, so for those who are planning a wedding or wait until the last minute take a look. I would love to see what dress you will be wearing or wore for your wedding.