DOVIMA WITH ELEPHANTS REDUX

Dior

White georgette crepe descending in winding folds below a bosom banded in black velvet and marked with a huge white rose.

The Grand Decolletage - sleeved to the wrists long and tight: Dior's black velvet sheath, sashed high under the bosom with a great streamer of white satin.

Considered the most famous images in fashion photography, Avedon's "Dovima with Elephants," sets the designs of Yves Saint Laurent, a new young assistant to the French couturier, Christian Dior, against a backdrop of circus elephants. 

The confluence of the arms of Dovima alongside the trunks of the elephants is considered a "miracle of grace and balance."

Dior's Sinuous Evening Line

Paris Report Fall 1955

Photography: Richard Avedon


More posts on this fashion shoot.
July 3, 2011  Dovima Mid-Century Supermodel 
November 25, 2010 Dovima With Elephants, evening dress by Dior, Cirque d'Hiver, Paris, France, 1955

...eyes on the fifties at devodotcom

BEAUTY AND THE BEASTS 1958

The sweater as chemise

Caledonia

The backdrop: Richard Avedon's photographs of the 400-year-old monsters that inhabit the ruined park of the Palazzo Orsini in Bomarzo, Italy.

The short-coat sweater

Jane Irwill

skintight knitted pants

Geist and Geist

Gray flannel jumper over a red suede pullover

John Weitz

"Legend has it that these behemoths were chiseled from solid rock by the Turkish prisoners of an Orsini prince after Lepanto."

Leather "sweatering" in a middy of pale-cream kidskin

Samuel Roberts

Fisherman's knit cable sweater

Sidney Gould

Rib-knitted shirt collared, front sashed sweater

astride herringbone pants

Catalina

Wigs by Carita of Rome

Beauty And The Stone Beasts

Harper's Bazaar July 1958

Photography: Richard Avedon

... eyes on the fifties at devodotcom

PARTY WEAR 1955

White chiffon by Mr. Mort

Black Velveteen - Printed Quilted Cotton

Raymodes

Opal White Paillettes over Black Crepe

Junior Accents

Hot Pink Velveteen over Challis Stripes

Mr. Gee

White Satin Satin Sashed with Holly Red

Semont

White Hemp Twine With a Dash of Crea Silk Satin

Parchment Moire and Chiffon with Flat Ribbons Streamers

Jonny Herbert

Shimmering White Satin and Dotted Net

Eloise Curtis

Herbert Levine

Julianelli

Harper's Bazaar November 1957

Young Evening Separates-At Home Together

Which Way To The Party?

Photography: Francesco Scavullo

The Shoes That Dance All Night

Photography: Gleb Derujinsky

... eyes on the fifties at devodotcom

HAVE A NICE WEEKEND !

Don't Forget Your Towel!

Harper's Bazaar December 1954

Beauty In The Half-Light

New Clothes Going South

Photography:

Lillian Bassman

Richard Avedon

THE YOUNG CHICERINOS 1965

Lady Caroline Percy

Samantha Eggar

Julie Christie

Geraldine Chaplin

Suzy Parker

Marisa Berenson

(Baby)Jane Holzer

Streisand

Veruschka

Edie Sedgewick

Joan Rivers

Vogue August 1965

The Young Chicerino

Her Kind

Of

Fashion

Photography:

David Bailey

Horst

Irving Penn

Enzo Sellario

... eyes on the sixties at devodotcom

NOT TONIGHT LOVE ...

What's my Lipline?

Coty 24 - Magnet Red

Revlon's Lilac Champagne

Frances Denny - Imperial Red

Helena Rubinstein - Jazz Red

New Guessing Game:

What's My Lipline?

Harper's Bazaar 1955

Model: Jean Patchett

Illustration: Andy Warhol

... eyes on the fifties at devodotcom

NUDES BY NEWTON

The question: are female nudes exploitative if helmut newton is the photographer?

Helmut Newton: 
A Secret Girlfriend
Photo Magazine November 1974

GO AHEAD - MAKE MY DAY !

Pumping Gold With Clint Eastwood
Hollywood's Richest Actor
Esquire March 14, 1978

... eyes on the seventies at devodotcom

STAND UP TO BULLYING !

Jay Thorpe Original

Marcel Vertes Illustration

Schlumberger

VRRRRUSCHKA

Veruschka flashing bodyworks, leather and silver metal forged by her jewellery-designing sister, Catharina von Lehndorff.

Stone-studded silver disc at the center of a wrap of leather. At the hip - a silver hip belt held by silver chains. Black silk shirt and scarf by Cerruti.

Long black-and-brown thongs, ringed with silver, slung low under a wide brown leather belt, enormous silver buckle. Black leotard by Danskin, black-and-white Cerruti scarf.

Big-time Ways to Take the Body Wrap
Vogue November 1969
Photography: Franco Rubartelli

... eyes on the sixties at devodotcom