1920s : Fashions of a Roaring Decade

[DosViolines]

Nasturtium Print Chiffon Dress, 1927-1930

whitakerauction

 

[DosViolines]

Black & Gold Beaded Flapper Dress, c. 1926

whitakerauction

 

[DosViolines]

French lace/chiffon evening coat, 1920s

This came from the estate of a French woman who lived in New York where her husband was the master chef of a fine French restaurant during the Roaring Twenties.

The coat is a gossamer creation of silk chiffon and delicate silk lace. The shoulders and hem border are accented with appliqués of handmade Brussels lace. The front opening is finished with a wide band of peach satin ribbon. The silk ribbon flowers are finely crafted with padding and a variety of ribbon types to create three dimensional bouquets.

The unstructured coat is cut straight with deep armholes and wide roomy sleeves. It closes in front with one hook hidden behind the floral bouquets. The unlabeled coat is lined with matching silk chiffon.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

French lace/chiffon teddy, c.1925

This exquisite teddy came from the estate of a French woman who lived in New York where her husband was the master chef of a fine French restaurant in the Roaring Twenties.

The diaphanous bodice of the teddy is unlined. The open back plunges below the waist. The skirt is lined with pleated peach chiffon. The black chiffon outer layer of the skirt still has its original knife pleating.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

French hand-embroidered tea dress, early 1920s

The dress is fashioned from sheer cotton voile that has mellowed to a beautiful shade of pale beige. The mint-green taffeta medallions are a delightful contrast. They are surrounded with raised floral embroidery of padded satin stitch. The hem of the dress is bordered with matching tape lace assembled with handmade fancy fill.

The dress slips over the head with no closures. The easy-to-wear style flatters a variety of figures. I love the way the skirt dips to a longer length in back.

The label reads "Vidalou"

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Hand-embroidered charmeuse dress, early 1920s

The effortless easy-to-wear dress slips over the head with no closures. The liquid quality of the charmeuse gently molds to your hips above the full skirt. The neckline is cut to a low "V" in back. The hand-embroidered silk floss flowers are graduated in size and variegated in color, creating an arresting asymmetry, which is nevertheless aesthetically pleasing.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Beaded cotton day dress, 1920s

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Hand-embroidered tulle dress, 1920s

The ensemble consists of a long sleeve dress and a sleeveless bolero with long ties that provocatively wrap around the hip.

The dress slips over the head with no closures. The skirt dips lower in back. A black crepe slip comes with the dress.

The dress is fashioned from fine black cotton tulle gaily decorated with whimsical bouquets of flowers that are hand embroidered with wool yarn and silk floss.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Hand-embroidered tea dress, c.1925

The dress is fashioned in the manner of Boué Soeurs with exquisite hand embroidery on fine white cotton batiste bordered by inserts of handmade filet lace. The occasional Irish crochet flowers add to the textural appeal of the white-on-white design. The sides of the dress are fashioned from matching cotton tulle.

The dress slips over the head with no closures. The front and back panels are straight. The tulle sides have sewn-down pleats that are smooth over the hips, opening into fullness below and ending with a playful pointed hem that dips longer than the body of the dress.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Chanel-style black flapper dress, c.1926

After Chanel introduced the little black dress in 1926, it became a modern fashion icon. The ascendancy of the LBD made it the subject of many interpretations and copies. If you saw the Chanel exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum in 2005, you probably noticed a similar Chanel original. The 5/1/05 New York Times Styles section had a picture of the original, taken by Karl Lagerfeld himself.

Here is a creative interpretation of the LBD, this one fashioned from black sheer silk chiffon over a black crepe slip. The floating back cape gracefully emphasizes the dip in the skirt. Both pieces slip over the head with no closures.

The designer was obviously very au courant. The bias cut had been invented by Madeleine Vionnet in 1922, only four years before this dress saw the light of day.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Cotton and lace chemise, 1920s

The chemise is fashioned from alternating bands of white cotton broadcloth and cotton-embroidered lace. I love the perky embroidered leaves. The top of the bodice is adjustable with a silk ribbon drawstring. The straps are pink satin ribbons.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Creme Lace Summer Tea Dress
Possibly Boue Soeurs, mid 1920s
Chemise design with camisole underslip of blush pink silk chiffon overlaid with creme net, the bodice and skirt with floating panels front and back of floral embroidered net with wide lace borders and short sleeves, square neckline, pale aqua silk sash tied in bow at right hip, handwritten tags: ? 21919.

doylenewyork

 

[DosViolines]

A beaded flapper dress, French circa 1924-5, unlabelled, the orange georgette ground embroidered in floss silk, silver thread, white, silver and orange bugle beads, oval metal beads in an oriental inspired pattern of swirls and clouds, matching slip

kerrytaylorauctions

 

[DosViolines]

Louiseboulanger evening dress, circa 1929

This Louiseboulanger dress, owned by Muriel King (who, four years later, would start her own label), was considered trend-setting thanks to its loose shape and dropped hemline.

elle.com

 

[DosViolines]

Caroline Reboux cloche, 1929

Although it seems mundane today, the cloche was actually revolutionary in the world of millinery; It was one of the first hats that didn't need wire to help give it shape. Reboux pioneered the shape that would inspire legions of girls to bob their hair.

elle.com

 

[DosViolines]

Lingerie Neyret. Paris, on 1928.

© Lipnitzki / Roger-Viollet

parisenimages.fr

 

[DosViolines]

Gallenga stenciled velvet bag, c.1920

The textile art of Maria Monaci Gallenga (1880-1944) is often compared to that of Fortuny because they both produced hand-stenciled designs that drew inspiration from the distant past. The patterns of Gallenga, generally larger and less textured than those of Fortuny, often contain exotic birds or beasts.

Gallenga's loyal followers, who frequented her shop in Florence, preferred the mysterious, Gothic quality of her designs. She is best known for medieval and Oriental designs stenciled in shades of silver and gold.

Throughout her career, Gallenga remained true to her original formula for stenciling on silk velvet. She used as many as 9 tones of gold and silver pigment to achieve the desired ombré shading. The metallic pigment does not tarnish or flake off, thanks to a special formula devised by Gallenga's husband, a Professor at the University of Rome.

The bag has shades of bronze/gold stenciling on black silk velvet and is lined with beige satin. The silk corded tassel is attached with a Murano glass bead. Many Gallenga pieces, like this bag, are unsigned. I have included three pictures of stenciled birds from signed Gallenga pieces I have owned.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Gallenga stenciled velvet cape, 1920s

This superb stenciled cape is an excellent example of the Gallenga style. The wide stenciled border features a magical landscape of stylized plant forms, exotic birds, and mythical beasts. The stenciled border is signed "Maria Monaci Gallenga"—see the picture below.The mesmerizing chartreuse hue of the velvet is unforgettable. The cape is lined with pale green satin.

The fullness of the cape is controlled with ruching across the shoulders. The thickly padded and ruched collar perfectly frames the face. The cape closes in front with ties embellished with Venetian glass beads and braided metallic cord.

Gallenga became an overnight sensation at a theatre opening in New York in 1916. She wore her "medieval" gown, which attracted more attention than the play. Like our fabulous cape, her gown on that fateful night was also stenciled by a miraculous process whereby the pattern appeared to float on a weightless fabric.

The cape was purchased from the collection of Charles Kleibacker, a well known fashion designer and museum curator. His extensive collection focused on unique examples of couture.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Gallenga stenciled chiffon shawl, 1920s

This exquisite example of textile art features wide stenciled borders of foliage and Luccese styled birds. The pattern includes a barely legible "Maria Monaci Gallenga" signature. The ends of the shawl are trimmed with loops of coral beads.

vintagetextile

 

[DosViolines]

Embroidered cotton tulle tea dress, 1920s

Fashioned from white cotton tulle, this one is embellished with large-scale flowers of needle run embroidery

The asymmetrical overskirt drapes to a deep handkerchief point on one side. I love the scalloped borders on the skirt layers. The dress closes on one side with snaps. The waistband is finished with a band of cotton lace.

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