Circa 1956
France

Long evening dress draped in pink and pale blue chiffon. Pleated bust with large halter neckline, ending in a sheath on the hips with crossed panels spread to the side, thus playing on the two-tone effect. Coloured taffeta lining with whalebone bustier. Cream grosgrain inner belt bearing a white satin label with black lettering indicating Jean Dessès, 12 Rd pt Champs Elysées Paris. Bolduc under the label with handwritten number 5240. No defects to be noted. Very good colour and condition.

Dimensions: Equivalent size 35-36. Height 132 cm, chest 85 cm, waist 65 cm, hips 90 cm.

Jean Dessès, of Greek origin (1904-1970) owned one of the most important couture houses of the period in Paris from 1937 to 1968, with over 200 employees, located at 37, avenue George-V, in a four-storey building until 1949, then at 12 Rond-point des Champs Elysées until 1963. Jean Dessès used pleated muslin to make his chrysalis dresses and was famous for his moulding technique. His draped dresses, whose pleats fall to the side, backwards and forwards, in supple petal-like panels, required fifty to sixty metres of muslin. Throughout his career, Jean Dessès tried to dethrone black by using soft, hazy, indefinable colours in the most subtle and tender shades. His work is closely related to that of Madame Grès and the House of Carven.