The LBD: A classic dress with versatility and staying power
The Duchess of Windsor said “when it is right there is nothing to replace it”, American Vogue dubbed it the “Ford” because it was as ubiquitous as the automotive, and Coco Chanel confessed, ” a little black dress is difficult”. It is hard to believe that this perennial which became such a feature for Audrey Hepburn is over 80 years old. In the Daily Express today it made an appearance again, prompted by the new Bond film, Quantum of Solace.
In this instance it appears to be invested with a durability not normally associated with haute couture as it appears to be the garment of choice for the actress Olga Kurylenko as she plummets to earth on a parachute in the company of Daniel Craig. Aren’t modern fabrics wonderful!
In the same spirit that Pascal said “I am sorry for writing a long letter I didn’t have time to make it shorter”, in its brevity the LBD requires an equal degree of finesse in creating its subtlety of curves and figure-hugging simplicity. Much of its personality is created in the cutting process which has to be exact. Silhouette, neckline, and hemline all interact and have to be in balance. It really is garment design in its purest form with no fuss or frills and little room for error and carries the same degree of risk as the ‘shodo’ calligraphers who get only one chance to make their mark on the paper.
I made the dress above for Ute Lemper when she starred in the opening of Chicago in 1998, and it still looks as fresh and alluring as it did when it first went on stage. It also had a sense of theatre as you can see from the shoulder strap.
So when thinking of reviving your wardrobe remember the words of Christian Dior. “You can wear black at any hour of day or night, at any age and for any occasion. A little black dress is the most essentail thing in any woman’s wardrobe”
