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| Martin Margiela Jacket 2000 wool and rayon Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto |
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| Charles James Ballgown 1949 silk taffeta and silk satin Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona |
-1916-silk-taffeta-satin-tulle-chiffon-trimmed-with-ribbons-flowers-&-lace-Philadelphia-Museum-of-Art.jpg) |
| Lucile, Lady Duff-Gordon "Happiness" Dinner Dress 1916 silk taffeta, satin, tulle and chiffon trimmed with ribbons, flowers and lace Philadelphia Museum of Art |
-1939-silk-satin-with-gold-tissue-Royal-Ontario-Museum-Toronto.jpg) |
| Norman Hartnell State Gown for Queen Elizabeth (consort of George VI) 1939 silk satin, lace, gold tissue Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto |
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| Vivienne Westwood Wedding Ensemble 1993 silk National Gallery of Australia, Canberra |
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| Callot Soeurs, Paris Afternoon Dress ca. 1900 printed silk, appliquéd with ribbon and lace National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne |
-c1909-cotton-emroidered-with-metallic-thread-National-Gallery-of-Australia-Canberra.jpg) |
| Alexandre Benois for Ballets-Russes Stage Costume - Cloak for Harpist ca. 1909 cotton embroidered with metallic thread National Gallery of Australia, Canberra |
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| Manish Malhotra Evening Gown 2016 pieced cottons and silks Philadelphia Museum of Art |
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| Emilio Schuberth Cocktail Dress ca. 1961 silk faille Philadelphia Museum of Art |
-1973-plain-weave-wool-with-punch-needle-embroidery-Philadelphia-Museum-of-Art.jpg) |
| Kansai Yamamoto Ensemble (dress and jacket) 1973 wool with punch-needle embroidery Philadelphia Museum of Art |
-by-Iris-van-Herpen-2019-silk-organza-silk-tulle-cotton-and-polyester-National-Gallery-of-Victoria-Melbourne.jpg) |
| Iris van Herpen "Frozen Falls" Evening Gown 2019 silk organza, silk tulle, cotton, polyester National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne |
-wool-twill-(jacket)-Philadelphia-Museum-of-Art.jpg) |
| Norman Norell Afternoon Ensemble 1968 silk taffeta (dress) and wool twill (jacket) Philadelphia Museum of Art |
-silk-satin-(skirt)-Philadelphia-Museum-of-Art.jpg) |
| Ralph Rucci Evening Ensemble 2005 beaded and embroidered silk (blouse) silk satin (skirt) Philadelphia Museum of Art |
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| Miss Foley Evening Gown ca. 1890 silk satin, silk brocade, cotton net Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona |
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| Madame Judith Opera Coat ca. 1895 cut silk velvet and ostrich feathers Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona |
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| Carolina Herrera Wedding Gown 2012 silk satin Philadelphia Museum of Art |
Parable of the Trellis
A clematis grew at the foot of a great trellis.
Despite being
modeled on a tree, the trellis
was a human invention; every year, in May,
the green wires of the struggling vine
climbed the straightforward
trellis, and after many years
white flowers burst from the brittle wood, like
a star shower from the heart of the garden.
Enough of that ruse. We both know
how the vine grows without
the trellis, how it sneaks
along the ground; we have both seen it
flower there, the white blossoms
like headlights growing out of a snake.
This isn't what the vine wants.
Remember, to the vine, the trellis
was never an image of confinement:
this is not
diminishment or tragedy.
The vine has a dream of light:
what is life in the dirt
with its dark freedoms
compared to supported ascent?
And for a time,
every summer we could see the vine
relive this decision, thus
obscuring the wood, structure
beautiful in itself, like
a harbor or willow tree.
– Louise Glück (1996)