Tea gown

Although Fortuny was not a direct adherent of any particular dress reform movement or society, his clothing aligned with the aims of various efforts at reforming women’s dress that had begun in the nineteenth century. This dress, for example, is true to Fortuny’s philosophy that ideal garments are unrestrictive, do not distort the natural figure, and are removed from fashion’s cyclical changes. Its chemise-like cut offers easy movement and simplicity of line. Its print captures the softened appearance of aged and worn metal threads, thus suggesting a timeless allure intended to outlast fleeting trends. In a 1916 reform-minded publication, What to Wear by American author Belle Armstrong Whitney, several designs by Fortuny with similar attributes were illustrated as exemplary models of dress for marrying comfort, beauty, and superior workmanship. Fortuny’s designs offered attributes of “reformed” dress, but also had broad fashionable appeal, widely appreciated for the artistic quality of their textiles.