Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo

Venetian-based Spanish designer Mariano Fortuny hid red silk threads along the reverse of this lamé underdress, achieving a burnished gold tint that suggests a cloth from antiquity. Fortuny intentionally “aged” many of his textiles, in keeping with his aesthetic and his reverence for historical motifs. Small Venetian glass beads along the hem of the gauze overdress are not only eye catching, but their weight holds the fabric taut, highlighting the hand-printed design.

Fortuny’s loose-fitting sleeveless silhouette follows that of the aba, a traditional garment in the Middle East. In the 1920s and ’30s, Fortuny’s gowns were especially popular among avant-garde women seeking freedom of movement and a hint of exoticism.