Evening dress 1896 - 1897

Editor: This is an evening dress from 1896-1897 by Rouff, held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. It's made of silk and it has all these frills and ruffles. What I find particularly interesting is how much labor must have gone into creating this one dress. What catches your eye? Curator: Precisely. Looking at the silk, we have to consider its origins, likely China, and the trade networks that facilitated its arrival in Europe. Think about the labor involved in silk production: the silkworms, the cultivation of mulberry trees, the spinning and weaving – all intensely human activities. Then, Rouff, a Parisian couture house, transforms it, adding layers of skilled labor - cutting, sewing, embroidery, all the meticulous handwork needed to construct such a garment. It embodies globalized production chains before globalization was even named as such. Editor: So it's not just about the final design, but also where it comes from and how it’s made. Did the materials influence the design or the other way around? Curator: That's the crucial point. It’s a cyclical relationship. The availability and properties of silk, its drape and sheen, would have certainly informed Rouff's design choices. Simultaneously, the demands of fashionable silhouettes dictated specific qualities and quantities of materials. The Industrial Revolution definitely helped with mass producing textiles but haute couture pieces such as this evening dress speak volumes of craftwork performed. Do you think this complicates or enriches the interpretation? Editor: I think it makes it more real. Instead of just seeing a pretty dress, you think about all the people involved. Thank you! Curator: Indeed, understanding the means of production pulls back the curtain on the often-hidden realities of art and consumption. Thinking about material informs a far more complete cultural understanding.