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Arnold Scaasi, designer

Dress, 1980s

Description

Maker

  • Arnold Scaasi, b. 1931, American, designer

Title

Dress

Year

1980s

Medium

Synthetic fiber, rhinestones, chemical lace; appliqué, embellishement

Materials/Techniques

Materials

  • rhinestones,
  • synthetic fiber,
  • Chemical lace

Techniques

  • plain weave,
  • appliqué (prefered spelling),
  • applique,
  • embellishing,
  • embellished,
  • satin weave

Dimensions

Center back length: 119.4 cm (47 inches)

Type

  • Fashion,
  • Costume

Credit

Gift of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, made possible by Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf

Object Number

2011.83.3

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Luminous Lace

January 27 - July 30, 2017

By the 1980s, designers had many options for using gold-colored fibers in their designs. This dress’s base fabric was machine-embroidered, creating what looks much like highly dimensional handmade needle lace. The lace was further embellished with rhinestones, stressing the dress’s Renaissance aesthetic. The fitted bodice with low, open neckline and the off-shoulder sleeves extending over the wrist of the wearer evoke styles from the late 16th or early 17th centuries.

Modern designers often erroneously interpret this historic garment as bare and open, neglecting to see that women added sheer linen chemises for modesty. This 16th-century example is on view in Intermission in the Chace Galleries.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in Copyright. This object is Dress with the accession number of 2011.83.3. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.

Feedback

We view our online collection as a living documents, and our records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you have additional information or have spotted an error, please send feedback to curatorial@risd.edu.

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