Paul Poiret, designer

In this deftly modern ensemble, red, ocher, and metallic gold pigments sit on top of the lustrous velvet pile of the silk velvet wrap, creating a contrast in texture with the smoothness of the emerald-green satin underdress. Nymphs dance amongst grasses in the wrap’s hand-painted design, signed by French artist Renee Vautler.

Designer Paul Poiret, hailed with freeing women from corsets, perhaps references his legacy with the imagery of women dancing in the nude and the freedom of the dress’s front-opening wrap design, held in place with an enamel buckle. The design presages the wrap dress made famous by designer Diane von Furstenberg in 1974.