Artwork

Premier bal

Premier bal, by Marie-Louise Carven, 1955
Premier bal, by Marie-Louise Carven, 1955

Premier bal is a drawing by Marie-Louise Carven. It dates from 1955 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.

About this work

Overview

Premier bal, created circa 1955, is a fashion illustration by Marie-Louise Carven, founder of the Carven fashion house. The work focuses on a woman's formal attire, emphasizing the dress's design.

Subject & Meaning

The subject is a woman, unseen from the waist down, with her face obscured. The primary focus is her red and white formal dress, conveying elegance and poise through its depiction.

Technique & Style

The illustration contrasts red and white to highlight the dress's details, such as a red bow at the neckline. The plain background further emphasizes the garment, typical of fashion illustrations prioritizing the design.

History & Provenance

Created by Marie-Louise Carven, a pioneering couturier known for petite women's fashion and innovations like the first push-up bra patent, the piece is now held in the Museum of Ethnography.

Context

Premier bal reflects Carven's influence in mid-20th-century fashion, particularly in petite women's and ready-to-wear markets, though its placement in an ethnography museum suggests an interpretive shift towards cultural artifact.

Legacy

While specific legacy details of *Premier bal* are not highlighted, it represents Carven's contribution to fashion history, notably in design for petite frames and accessible, lightweight fashion elements.

Artist & collection

Portrait of Marie-Louise Carven

Artist

Marie-Louise Carven

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.