Passing Silhouettes

Anonymous English Makers
Dress
ca. 1760
printed taffeta of Spitalfields silk
Phoenix Art Museum, Arizona

Anonymous English Makers
Robe à l'anglaise
(with fichu and apron in cotton gauze)
ca. 1780
cotton chintz imported from India
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

Anonymous American Makers
Hoop
"Bradley's Patent Duplex Elliptic Spring Skirt"
ca. 1867-68
steel and cotton
Philadelphia Museum of Art

Anonymous English Makers
Dolman Jacket
ca. 1887
embroidered and beaded silk faille
Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto

Anonymous Burmese Makers
Court Costume
ca. 1890-1915
cotton embroidered with sequins and glass
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco

Marie-Louise Bruyère (Paris)
Evening Gown
1947
silk
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Antonio del Castillo for House of Lanvin
Hat
ca. 1960
wool felt and silk faille
Philadelphia Museum of Art

Norman Norell
Evening Gown
1971
silk-satin, silk-chiffon, plastic sequins, fox fur
Philadelphia Museum of Art

Kansai Yamamoto
Ensemble
(cape, blouse, culottes)
1971
synthetic satin and wool-knit
Philadelphia Museum of Art

Laura Ashley
Dress
1974
cotton
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Roberto Capucci
"Fumo" Evening Gown
1985
slubbed silk
Philadelphia Museum of Art

Christian Lacroix
Dress
1988
silk and cotton
National Gallery of Australia, Canberra

Jacqueline de Ribes
Evening Gown
1990
silk satin
Philadelphia Museum of Art

Jean-Paul Gaultier
Kilt Trousers
1993
wool tartans
Philadelphia Museum of Art

Comme des Garçons (Japan)
Dress
1996
cotton and polyester
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

Iris van Herpen
"Alchemy of Light" Dress
2016
silk tulle, thermoplastic polymer, transparent liquid polyurethane
Art Gallery of South Australia, Adelaide

Telemachus' Detachment

When I was a child looking
at my parents' lives, you know
what I thought? I thought
heartbreaking. Now I think
heartbreaking, but also

insane. Also

very funny.

– Louise Glück (1996)