Afternoon suit 1900 - 1910

This Afternoon Suit, made by the House of Worth, is like a painting but with fabric. I love the colour, that plummy, winey dark purple, like a juicy bruise. The velvet is so tactile, you just want to stroke it. I imagine the person making this ran their hands over it again and again. Look at the way the light catches the folds of the skirt and how the different levels of texture, like the embroidered details on the bolero jacket, create shadows. You can almost feel the weight of it and how it would move when worn, a kind of liquid weight. And those big, puffy sleeves! They're like inflated balloons ready to burst. It reminds me a little of a Klimt painting with its opulent surface, or even the dark, brooding tones of a Rothko. Art, fashion, design, it's all just one big conversation, isn't it? A beautiful, endless exploration of form and feeling.