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Red Plain Weave Silk Evening Gown
with Ivory Tulle Sleeve and Red Passementerie
Unknown maker and place of origin, ca. 1820-1822.
Gift of Colin Lawton Johnson
KSUM 2002.35.6
Non-original lace at the neckline.

With its slightly lowered waistline and princess style lines at the bodice, this evening dress follows the new style of the early 1820s. By 1809, Napoleon had mandated the use of silks in formal wear to help revive the textile industry in France. Silks returned to evening wear and the silhouette changed with the use of heavier fabric and elaborately trimmed hems.