Chemise dress | RISD Museum

When Cristobal Balenciaga, a couturier known for elegant, simple, but perfectly tailored clothing, introduced a new silhouette in 1957, no one was prepared for the controversy it aroused. The chemise, or sack, as it was dubbed in the press, was a far cry from the narrow shoulders, tight waists, and full skirts popularized by Christian Dior in his 1947 “New Look.” Women who adopted the chemise were ridiculed in the press, and the style was condemned as unfeminine and ungainly. Ready-to-wear manufacturers who produced thousands of dresses derived from Balenciaga’s originals lost money, as many women were unwilling to try the new style. After a few seasons, however, the discord died down, and chemise styling filtered into the fashion mainstream.

Balenciaga is considered by many to be the most important couturier of the 1950s. This chemise represents both a pivotal moment in fashion and the perfection of line and cut that was Balenciaga’s trademark. For all these reasons it is a prized addition to the Museum’s extensive collection of costume and textiles, which is also relied upon in the teaching of costume history and fashion design at RISD.