Costume Représentant Parties Du Monde, Bal Louis XIV 1923

This photograph captures a costume designed by Valentine Hugo for a Bal Louis XIV. Hugo's costume design looks both backwards and forwards! I imagine her delight in the play of historical references, mixing eras and styles with an almost dreamlike freedom. I picture Hugo thinking about all the different 'worlds' that could be represented in clothing, and how she could bring them together in a single, striking image. What does it mean to wear a world? How can clothing represent an identity? Costume design really has to take into account how garments fall on the body, how a body can inhabit a garment and use it to mean something. Hugo’s design resonates with those of her surrealist contemporaries, exploring themes of identity, transformation, and the power of imagination. There is a conversation happening here! A dialogue between the artist, the wearer, and the viewer, inviting us to engage with the artwork on multiple levels.