- Luxury Car
Flapper Dress
- Hotel Foyer
The ‘Chimère’ evening dress is one of the greatest examples of the archetypal ‘flapper’ dress.
Flapper fashion epitomised the liberated culture of Paris in the 1920s, a period of dramatic social, political and technological change.
Further Activities
Explore concepts, context and more with these curriculmum-based educational activities.
PAQUIN, Paris (couture house)
France 1890–1953
Jeanne PAQUIN (designer)
France 1869–1936
Chimère, evening dress 1925
silk, silk thread, glass beads
122.0 x 60.0 cm
106 cm (centre back); 47.0 cm (waist, flat)
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Given by Mrs William Gordon, 1948 (T.50-1948)
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Photography: Predrag Cancar
NGV Education: Grace Di Muzio & Rebecca Hicks, with Amanda Burritt and Gina Panabianco
Interactive production: Jonathan Luker, National Gallery of Victoria
"Beading" Section:
FRANCE
Dance dress c. 1925
Silk, gelatine sequins, glass beads
123.4cm (centre back),
36.7cm (waist, flat)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1777 (D86-1977)
FRANCE
Dance dress c. 1925
Cotton, gelatine sequins
101.0cm (centre front);
38.5cm (waist, flat)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Scholfield collection purchased with the assistance of a Victorian Government grant, 1974
(D233-1974)
FRANCE
Dance dress c. 1925
Silk, cotton, glass, rhinestones
107.5cm (centre back);
43.0cm (waist, flat);
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased, 1971 (D158-1971)
"Asian Influence" Section:
Chinese Basin, Ming dynasty, Wanli period,
1573-1620
Jingdezhen, Jiangxi province, South-east China
Porcelain, enamel (Wucai ware)
11.0x36.3cm diameter
Felton Bequest, 1946 (526-D4)
CARTIER, London (manufacturer)
England est. 1902
Egyptian cigarette case 1929
gold, platinum, lapis lazuli, coral, mother-of-pearl, faience, diamonds, enamel
8.3 x 5.2 x 2.9 cm
Cartier Collection, Geneva
© Cartier Collection 2007-08
Photos: Nick Welsh
(FRANCE)
Sequin jacket with Egyptian motifs (c. 1922–29)
lurex, beads
63.0 (centre back); 99.0 cm (sleeve length)
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Bequeathed by Clive Scrimshaw, 1999 (T.91-1999)
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London
"Skirt" Section:
Edgar-William BRANDT (designer)
France 1880–1960
Storks of Alsace (Les cigognes d’Alsace), lift cage panels 1928
lacquer and metal on wood
194.5 x 206.2 cm (overall)
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Accessioned, 1971 (719:4-1971; 719:8-1971; 719:10-1971)
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London
© Edgar-William Brandt/ADAGP, Paris. Represented by VISCOPY, Australia
"House of Pacquin" Section:
FRANCE
Exposition of Decorative Arts. 131 Paris 1925
(Exposition des arts décoratifs. 131 Paris 1925) 1925
gelatin silver photograph (postcard)
8.6 x 13.6 cm
Collection of Robert Wilson, Victoria
Robert BONFILS
France 1886–1971
IMPRIMERIE VAUGIRARD, Paris (printer)
France est. 1931
International Exposition of Decorative Arts and Modern Industry, Paris 1925, poster (Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes Paris 1925) 1925
colour woodcut
60.0 x 39.7 cm (image and sheet)
Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Accessioned, 1925 (E.1200-1925)
© V&A Images/Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Henri GERVEX
(1852-1929)
Portrait of the Couturier Madame Paquin (1869-1936)
oil on canvas
Private Collection
Image courtesy of Archives Charmet/ The Bridgeman Art Library
Three photographs: The fashionable House of Paquin located in the Rue De La Paix
Henri GERVEX
(1852-1929)
Cinq Heures chez le Couturier Paquin 1906
House of Worth, London
Image courtesy of The Bridgeman Art Library
"Style and Cut" Section:
FRANCE
Dance dress c. 1925
Cotton, gelatine sequins
101.0cm (centre front);
38.5cm (waist, flat)
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Scholfield collection purchased with the assistance of a Victorian Government grant, 1974
(D233-1974)
PAQUIN
Paris 1891 – 1956
Madame Paquin, designer
Evening dress c.1920 (detail)
silk satin, metallic lace, imitation jewels, silk and metallic thread lame
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased by The Art Foundation of Victoria, 1979
PAQUIN
Paris 1891 – 1956
Madame Paquin, designer
Label for Evening Dress c.1920
woven silk, silk thread, machine embroidery, inscribed in ink
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased by The Art Foundation of Victoria, 1979
PAQUIN
Paris 1891 – 1956
Madame Paquin, designer
Died 1969
Evening dress c.1920 and Opera coat spring-summer 1920
silk satin, metallic lace,imitaition jewels, silk and metallic thread lame, gelatin sequins
National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne
Purchased by the Art Foundation of Victoria, 1979 (D17/18-1979)