Evening ensemble

Designer Valentina American

ca. 1938

Not on view

During the 1930s, stylish clothing that was made specifically for entertaining guests at home was in vogue. While slightly more comfortable, it was often as elegant as evening wear and frequently had an element of fantasy or historicism. This particular example, worn by the chic Millicent Rogers, is made of an ivory slubbed silk, an example of how Valentina used unexpected fabric choices, rather than the ubiquitous lamé of the period. Instead of using a glamorous fabric in a simple cut, she combines an inventive bodice treatment that refers to the corseted bodices of the 18th-century peasant class with a signature barrel-shaped sleeve to craft an ensemble for a modern, stylish woman.

Artwork Details

Overview

Signatures, Inscriptions, and Markings

Title: Evening ensemble
Designer: Valentina (American, born Kyiv 1899–1989)
Date: ca. 1938
Culture: American
Medium: silk
Credit Line: Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Arturo and Paul Peralta-Ramos, 1954
Object Number: 2009.300.191a, b
Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute

More Artwork

By Valentina

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Cocktail ensemble, Valentina American, Silk, American — Cocktail ensemble
Valentina
ca. 1962

Dress, Valentina American, Wool, American — Dress
Valentina
ca. 1938

Ensemble, Valentina American, Linen, American — Ensemble
Valentina
ca. 1950

Dress, Valentina American, Silk, American — Dress
Valentina
ca. 1930

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.