Artwork
Premier bal

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
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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