cocktail dress

Lanvin, Paris

Summary

Lavender silk crepe dress with short sleeves and a wide plain neck. The shape is quite complex, formed of a rectangle caught up to a point to the right with double floating panels, and a waist created by a ruched belt. Jeanne Lanvin founded her celebrated House in Paris as early as 1909 and became one of the most famous designers of the 1920s and 1930s. Lilac and lavender were Lanvin’s favourite colours, and became a hallmark of many of her creations. After her death in 1943, the House had a series of designers, before the appointment of Alber Elbaz as artistic director in October 2001. Elbaz revitalized the company, producing highly respected, if expensive and luxurious, couture and catwalk fashion, until his departure in 2012. From the SS 2012 collection, and kindly donated by Harvey Nichols, Manchester.The dress would have retailed for around £1200.