This piece, by Sybil Connolly, in the National Museum carries the idea of smocking to sculptural heights; an evening gown, made of hand-pleated handkerchief-weight linen. Nine yards of unpleated linen was required to make one yard of the pleated fabric. Linen, a notoriously creasing fabric, is fairly crease resistant when smocked. The gown would likely have been quite light and very comfortable since the fiber breaths and is quite absorbent, making for a gown that is both beautiful, form fitting and comfortable. This piece was made in 1970 for Lady Beit of Russborough House in County Wicklow; whose stately home is now open to the public and well worth a visit.
Meandering through the National Museum of Ireland’s decorative arts collection you’ll find more of the beautiful collection of couture pieces by Irish couturier Sybil Connolly. A retrospective of her work at The Hunt Museum Limerick has a great collection of images and information on the designer. She led the way for a generation of Irish fashion designers. Her designs became collectors items in the United States, where she dressed Rockefellers, Mellons, Duponts and Jacqueline Kennedy, who wore a Sybil Connolly design for her official White House portrait.
One Trackback
[...] country estate. Russborough House has been open to the public since it’s owners Lord and Lady Beit gifted it in 1976, along with it’s fine art collection, to the people of Ireland. It is a [...]