THE POWERHOUSE OBJECT WHICH INSPIRED AKIRA ISOGAWA

Day dress with bustle c1870

The invention of the sewing machine in the mid 1900s made dressmaking faster but spurred dressmakers on to even more elaborate expressions of their skills in the form of complex surface effects. In this outfit both bodice and skirt have been ruched by hand, creating a very slim line from the front while at the back the fabric is gathered into a bustle.

In 1856 chemical experiments with coal tar resulted in the discovery of the world's first synthetic dye. Soon, brilliant aniline colours like the vibrant blue of this dress were all the rage.

Silk taffeta, made about 1870.
Gift of the Fashion Group International of Sydney 1974. A6356

Interview with Akira Isogawa

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