Dress #103: 1950s ‘Clover Leaf’ ballgown in pinks

This hand-stitched paper dress is based on the ‘Clover Leaf’ ballgown designed by Charles James in 1953; this version in pinks is held by the Museum at FIT (accession P77.1.7). Charles James produced some of the quintessential dress shapes of the 1940s and 1950s, and is considered by the Met to be the ‘only American to work in the true couture tradition’.

The dress is six inches tall, stitched by hand on 8x10 inch 100% cotton watercolour paper, which means that it will pop right into any commercial frame in that size, and be ready to hang on your wall.

Materials: Japanese papers and cotton floss on cotton paper; 24.5 x 20.3 cm (10 x 8")