The Influence of Vionnet
Thursday, January 8, 2009 at 12:04 PM This stunning smoke grey chiffon evening gown looks au courant, but it was designed 60 years ago by Madeleine Vionnet, considered one of the most influential dress designers of the 20th century. Mrs. O's home-town favorite designer Maria Pinto has long said she is a great admirer of Vionnet's work, and with this dress -- currently seen in Chic Chicago: Couture Treasures from the Chicago History Museum -- we see why.
Signature Vionnet touches-draping, understated yet vital detailing, and flow of the material--are all present here. Vionnet (1876-1975), who lived and worked in Paris, designed dresses that liberated women from dependence on restrictive underpinnings and corsets. She achieved this by emphasizing the bias cut, which enables fabric to cling softly to the body while the person moves. She also created the halter top, the handkerchief dress, and the cowl neck. Her designs dominated the fashions of the 1920s and 1930s and later designers who were influenced by her work include Geoffrey Beene, Halston, and Azzedine Alaia.
We see some contemporary twists on Vionnet design principles in Pinto's Fall `07 collection (fourth row, middle photo) and again in her Spring `08 collection (third row, right photo). Chic Chicago indeed. "I have been dreaming of staging a Maria Pinto exhibition and I would love to display one of Pinto's pieces next to a Vionnet," says Timothy Long, curator of costumes and textiles at the Chicago History Museum. "The similarities would be stunning. Both designers' work show their understanding of how properly designed, cut, and constructed gowns should compliment a woman's body."
We have noted in the past how many of Pinto's designs perfectly suit Mrs. O. As Vionnet said, "The dress must not hang on the body but follow its lines. It must accompany its wearer and when a woman smiles, the dress must smile with her." It's a sentiment that Mrs. O would endorse.
Reader Comments (7)
Many of Maria Pinto's work also seems to be inspired by Madame Gres. (Whom I also love). Is it just me?
Your blog is divine. I adore it.
(Okay, haha, not gonna lie, this seems like a bit of a stretch for content..... BUT that's okay!)
"The dress must not hang on the body but follow its lines. It must accompany its wearer and when a woman smiles, the dress must smile with her."
LOVE that.
Kristan
http://jbu.phuzzymath.net/
I LOVE that dress. I can see how Pinto has been influenced by her work. I love both of them. Now if only I could afford something like that!
That is the most amazing, breathtaking, modern looking gown.
Is there anyway Mrs O can borrow it for the big night ?
Vintage is very chic.
I disagree that this article is a "stretch." The armholes and neckline in the Vionnet dress are strikingly similar to those on the Mediterranean blue dress that Mrs. O wore in June of 2007 to Pinto's Fall runway preview at Sepia. You can see how both dresses "follow the lines" of a feminine figure.
Mrs. C - Thanks so much for this interesting, relevant story. One of many things I love about this site is the contextual history you ladies periodically include. More and more, I'm appreciating the importance of understanding the past as forebearance to our present - and that clearly extends to fashion design!
Maria Pinto simply understands that a bias cut is essential to obtaining many of the most flattering female silhouettes- Similar to Madame Vionnet as well as a great deal of Madame Gres' work.
www.zazzle.com/mizzbella