DOVIMA IN COUTURE 1958

Dovima

Balenciaga

"In a romantic and deeply Spanish vein, Balenciaga's Fuschsia

balldress is blown back from a decollete bodice to rustling folds of Shantung satin that graze the floor. A scarf of matching Marescot lace veils the shoulders"

Balenciaga

"Balenciaga is chary of color, using ot brilliantly or not at all. The vivid proof: his deep yellow satin dress, drawn high in front at the waist and again at the hem."

Notice the dark hose worn with these formals. Bold.

Givenchy

Givenchy's short evening dress in pink silk moire, "knotted like a bandeau over the bosom and rounded out in soft folds beneath a rising waistline." Velevt hat (probably Halston)from Bergdorf Goodman.

Mainbocher

"Mainbocher's mastery of the perfect poised line, heavy cherise satin, so intricate in concept yet so effortless in effect."

"The pointed decolletage counters a wide satin flange dropped to the waist in back above a slender skirt of unpressed folds. Over the dress Mainbocher throws a loose satin jacket with a great collar, a gathered yoke."

Mainbocher

Mainbocher's short white dinner dress - the bare armed bodice simply clasped by a bowknot above soft tucks. The full skirt springs forward in deep unpressed pleats. A printed mauve and white silk ottoman coat lined in quilted white satin goes with the dress to dinner.

Givenchy

"Givenchy's dinner coat in an intense depth of magenta satin. An extremely short silhouette extended at the shoulder and lifted high at the waist. The upright collar curves to the neck."

Dovima in Couture
Harper's Bazaar November 1958
Photography: Richard Avedon

... eyes on the fifties at devodotcom

FUR REAL

Kendrick Lamar - Promise that you will sing about me ...

The Thing: 
Guanaco Hair Seal

Above: Russet guanaco "a guanaco is a Peruvian camel, scales the Andes instead of the dunes, hooded jacket with side slits for ultimate mobility." By Georges Kaplan.

The Thing: 
Mink Nutria

Natural domestic nutria in pitch brown in a slender three-quarter length reefer.

Fredrica Furs

Kitov-processed Alaska Fur Seal - knitted dress by Caledonia. Kislav gloves.

Christian Dior-New York

All-weather country coat with a removable lining of deep brown nutria. Water-repellent cotton poplin outer-shell. 

The Thing: 

River Otter Mink In Depth

From Fantasia, Beige-dyed Brazilian river otter with a pale mink collar. 

Simply elegant fur-nishing

"Mink worked with the fluency of silk. The skirt arcs to a raised waist tied with a great sash." Designed by Emeric Partos for Bergdorf Goodman. Hat (probably Halston)from Bergdorf Goodman. 

Anne St. Marie's regal countenance is best examined under fur. Here, a pale, three-quarter length theatre coat in a "pure goblet shape." 

Emba "Tourlamine" mink - Ritter Brothers

Its The Real Thing ...

Fur in Variety is the Thing! 1958

Nothing could be  more the thing than China Machado in a "jacket of tawny Siamese tiger falling wide at the waist, closing at the back." By Scassi at Henri Bendel.

Front closure or back closure, the cut is current and offers endless possibilities.

"Clarity is the province of Persian lamb," (must be a Vreelandism.)

Carmen Dell-Orefice stands demure in Schiaparelli's mocha Persian lamb. 

Persian lamb -  it hangs heavy and definitely has a different handle than being wrapped in mink or sable. Still,  it maintains its own brand of  sophistication. Quieter, more casual and unannounced. 

"Thirty-five controlled inches dropping in a crisp right triangle."

Black-dyed Hammer Brand processed Southwest African Persian lamb by Zimmerman-Scher.

The Ultimate

Empress Chinchilla - Christie Brothers

The ultimate wrap, a "demi-swath of chinchilla - the remarkable beauty of the fur is underlined by a design which juxtaposes vertical and horizontal bands."

Like a diamond jeweller contemplating the final cut. Well done!

A Christine Keeler coat that has never gone out of style.

Empress chinchilla -  Frishman and Gintel

must have one

FURS

Harper's Bazaar November 1958

Photography:

Gleb Derujinsky 

Dan Wynn

... eyes on the fifties at devodotcom