BEYOND THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS
From design classics to cutting-edge catwalk creations, Beyond the Little Black Dress deconstructs this iconic garment and examines the radical power of the colour black in fashion.
Image: Richard Quinn SS23, Look 1 © Getty Images.
In 1926 Coco Chanel designed a simple, short black dress. Considered radically modern, it disregarded convention in its design and shade and was hailed by US Vogue as “the frock that all the world will wear.” The little black dress became a wardrobe staple and a blank canvas for future generations to reflect broader political and cultural shifts, challenge social norms around race, gender and sexuality and reflect evolving ideals of beauty and identity.
Image: Alexander McQueen show, Autumn Winter 2017, Paris. Image courtesy PixelformulaSipaShuttershock.
Discover how the nuances of the colour black have made the little black dress a contradictory garment, from the well-mannered cocktail attire of the early 20th century to the leather and latex worn by members of punk and fetish subcultures.
Image: 'Hellbound dress', Christopher Kane, Fall Winter 2022. Henri Bergmann aka DJ Henri attends The Fashion Awards 2022 at Royal Albert Hall on December 5, 2022 in London, England. Photo by David M. Benett Dave Benett Getty Images.
Featuring over 60 garments, the exhibition charts a century of fashion through a series of themed, immersive displays. See early 20th century pieces by Chanel, Dior and Jean Muir alongside contemporary looks by designers such as Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha, Comme des Garçons and ground-breaking Black British designers like Joe Casely-Hayford and Maximilian.
The exhibition features Black British designers whose work explores both Blackness in terms of identity and the role the colour black plays in crafting a futuristic, sci-fi aesthetic. Elsewhere, the exhibition considers how perceptions of the colour black differ in a global context, as well as how the intervention of smart technologies is establishing a blueprint for a more sustainable future.
Image: Woman's “Ligne Longue” cocktail dressby Christian Dior, Autumn-Winter 1951-52 (K.2018.3.1)
Beyond the Little Black Dress at National Museums Scotland until 29 October 2023.
Find out more:
www.nms.ac.uk
Image: Richard Quinn SS23, Look 1 © Getty Images.
In 1926 Coco Chanel designed a simple, short black dress. Considered radically modern, it disregarded convention in its design and shade and was hailed by US Vogue as “the frock that all the world will wear.” The little black dress became a wardrobe staple and a blank canvas for future generations to reflect broader political and cultural shifts, challenge social norms around race, gender and sexuality and reflect evolving ideals of beauty and identity.
Image: Alexander McQueen show, Autumn Winter 2017, Paris. Image courtesy PixelformulaSipaShuttershock.
Discover how the nuances of the colour black have made the little black dress a contradictory garment, from the well-mannered cocktail attire of the early 20th century to the leather and latex worn by members of punk and fetish subcultures.
Image: 'Hellbound dress', Christopher Kane, Fall Winter 2022. Henri Bergmann aka DJ Henri attends The Fashion Awards 2022 at Royal Albert Hall on December 5, 2022 in London, England. Photo by David M. Benett Dave Benett Getty Images.
Featuring over 60 garments, the exhibition charts a century of fashion through a series of themed, immersive displays. See early 20th century pieces by Chanel, Dior and Jean Muir alongside contemporary looks by designers such as Gareth Pugh, Simone Rocha, Comme des Garçons and ground-breaking Black British designers like Joe Casely-Hayford and Maximilian.
The exhibition features Black British designers whose work explores both Blackness in terms of identity and the role the colour black plays in crafting a futuristic, sci-fi aesthetic. Elsewhere, the exhibition considers how perceptions of the colour black differ in a global context, as well as how the intervention of smart technologies is establishing a blueprint for a more sustainable future.
Image: Woman's “Ligne Longue” cocktail dressby Christian Dior, Autumn-Winter 1951-52 (K.2018.3.1)
Beyond the Little Black Dress at National Museums Scotland until 29 October 2023.
Find out more:
www.nms.ac.uk