One of my favorite pastimes when I have a moment or two is to view the amazing textile collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Today I stumbled upon this extraordinary 1955 Mainbocher silk ensemble (it has a matching 3/4 sleeve jacket not shown here). I loved the accompanying description as well... . whoever does the write-ups over at The Met deeply loves the pieces and it shows:
"This flattering ruby red satin cocktail ensemble is an excellent example of Mainbocher's later work. The strapless dress, with tiers of self petals is extremely feminine and the cut of the dress is pure perfection. The jacket finishes the piece, making it appropriate for all occasions. The collar frames the face and the wrap style slenderizes the silhouette."
I also love The Met's site because you can often find a blurb on the designer within the notes on a piece. So if you are not familiar with Mainbocher — you will enjoy this too:
"Born on the West Side of Chicago in 1891, Mainbocher chose to make his home overseas. He began sketching at Harper's Bazaar and then went to work as the fashion editor of French Vogue in 1922, staying there until 1929. With his trained eye and exquisite taste, he opened his maison de couture in 1930 at 12, avenue George V with the support of fashion editors, designers and the social elite. Mainbocher became "the American" in Paris that any woman who could afford his luxuries, turned to. His clothes were perfectly appropriate for every occasion, producing an air of elegance. In his showroom, he exhibited innovative ideas, such as cotton gingham evening dresses, the strapless dress, extreme feminine details such as gigot sleeves, ruffles and trains, and the use of men's shirting, such as linen toweling and cotton pique. While innovative, his designs were always exquisitely pieced. At the beginning of WWII, Mainbocher closed his Paris house and returned to New York, opening his first showroom on Madison Avenue, next door to Tiffany's at 57th Street. He continued to prosper, and never did he find the need to place his work in luxury stores such as Bergdorf's or Bendel's. With the death of some of the grand couturiers, such as Chanel and Balenciaga, Mainbocher retired in 1971, mourning their loss and to him, the death of couture."
This particular dress caught my eye today because I am starting to plan out what to put onto Shrimpton Couture for spring. I think that this silhouette will be quite relevant this season. I would suspect that we will see a ton of pieces along this line this year and over the next season or two, at all of the various retail levels, thanks in large part to what Prada and Louis Vuitton paraded down the S/S 2012 runways.
I like the site to reflect what is happening on the runways — it gives my clients an alternative to current retail and still allows them to look fresh and modern while wearing and embracing the past with all its advantages... ... ... better construction, better fabrics, originality and of course you get to own the only one like it — always a plus!
The Mainbocher also caught my eye because it has the same feel as couple of pieces I already have on the site now. First, this amazing beauty that flew out the door to its new owner in California within hours of going live. So I guess it's a bit mean to show you this really — sorry — but I must! It is just so fabulous!
And this golden version that is still available and from the same estate as the one above is also amazing don't you think? It is almost surreal — like the designer took the term and concept of a wasp waist literally!
Neither of my dresses are labeled but both pieces are along the lines of the Mainbocher in terms of execution and feel. They are also comparable in terms of the level of craftsmanship with the construction techniques used to piece them together. The work that goes into these pieces is truly extraordinary and you just cannot beat it with their modern day counterparts. A dress pieced by hand is hard to beat no matter what the brand or the price.