Curator’s Costume Episode 1: 18th Century Court Dress

Here is our first episode of Curator’s Costume, and what better way to start than with this stunning 18th Century Court Dress. More Information about the dress: Sack-back dress in mauve and lilac woven silk brocade, with double-flounce lace sleeves and embroidered floral motifs in silver metallic thread, ribbon flowers and coloured silk trims. Known as the ‘robe á la Française’ due to its French origins, this style of dress had a pleated length of material incorporated into the dress back from the neckline to the hemline, forming a flowing, voluminous shape called a ‘sack-back.’ This design feature, worn with a large hooped skirt, utilised many yards of fabric and was perfect for showcasing the intricate floral brocades and serpentine embroideries typical of the Rococo period. Representing an extreme ideal of artificial beauty, the exaggerated silhouette with a tightly fitted bodice and wide skirt expanded by panniers remained court dress until the French Revolution.