Showcase 5 front

Description

Between the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, the textile industry supply chain is now a reality. Two strands emerged: one more commercial and industry-friendly, such as that of the fabric on the left (a cotton-printed furnishing velvet) and one more artistic, expressed by haute couture. Artists and designers work for the luxury market, using manual or semi-crafted techniques: the dress in the center, of French manufacture, is composed of different types of fabrics, opaque and transparent, which create new, unprecedented decorative effects. The skirt is bell-shaped, with a slight train, while the bodice, cut just below the bust, is embellished with metal plate embroidery. A few years later the fashions become more linear, as in the evening gown at right. Hand-embroidered with glass beads, the dress has a refined decoration reminiscent of the architectural style of Art Nouveau palaces.