Artwork
Laque
Laque is a drawing by Marie-Louise Carven. It dates from 1963 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1963, *Laque* is a fashion sketch by French designer Marie‑Louise Carven. The drawing depicts a woman wearing a striking red dress with a fitted bodice and a flared skirt, complemented by a high, rounded updo and simple black heels. The work is part of the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings, illustrating Carven’s mid‑century design sensibility.
Subject & Meaning
The illustration presents a single figure styled in a sleek, contemporary silhouette that emphasizes elegance through minimal accessories.
The illustration presents a single figure styled in a sleek, contemporary silhouette that emphasizes elegance through minimal accessories. The red dress, likely named “Laque,” serves as the focal point, while the modest heel and understated hairdo suggest a balance between sophisticated dressmaking and everyday wearability, reflecting Carven’s aim to create refined yet accessible fashion for petite women.
Technique & Style
Carven’s drawing employs loose, confident lines, with rapid strokes defining the dress’s flowing fabric and the model’s arms. A small signature mark appears in the corner, and the title is inscribed in the upper right. The sketch’s economy of detail conveys movement and form without excessive ornamentation, characteristic of Carven’s streamlined aesthetic.
History & Provenance
Marie‑Louise Carven founded her eponymous fashion house in 1945 and was among the first couturiers to launch a ready‑to‑wear line, later patenting the push‑up bra. *Laque* entered the Museum of Ethnography’s collection as a representative example of her innovative approach to mid‑20th‑century fashion design, preserving her legacy within institutional archives.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marie-Louise Carven (31 August 1909 – 8 June 2015), born Carmen de Tommaso, was a French fashion designer who founded the house of Carven in 1945.
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
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