Thursday, May 8, 2014

Dita Von Teese Shows Inside of Couture Gown

Thank you, Dita Von Teese! A friend referred me to her Instagram feed, where she snapped a picture of the inside of the stunning Zac Posen gown she wore to the Met Ball on Monday.

As Dita wrote: “One mustn’t wear undergarments with haute couture,” she wrote. “It shouldn’t be necessary. Here is the sumptuous interior of my @zac_posen Met Ball gown:” (Thanks for the tip, Dita!)

As you can see, the inner foundation has bra cups, boning, a waist stay, and grommets for a corset lacing. As there's no lacing in the grommets yet, I'm guessing it has to be put in once she's in the dress. I'm also guessing she had plenty of help getting dressed. The zipper is metal, which would be required to stand up to the strain of the corset lacing. No invisible zippers here!

The outside of the dress is gorgeous, too. (Though I'll admit the inside gets me more excited.) Here she is with the designer (and my secret crush), Zac Posen. 



You can see that there's horsehair braid in the hem to support the folds. The seaming at the bottom calls to mind Charles James's own Clover Gown, which I believe to be his masterpiece. 



Of course, the more exciting news here is that the Met is exhibiting James's work. And there's a reproduction of the Clover gown--complete with robotic arms! (Read the fascinating article on the technology here.) I am beyond impatient to get to see this exhibit, and of course I will report back on it here.


23 comments:

  1. very nice/creative, but too robotlike for my taste.
    The guy is ok though.

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  2. I absolutely LOVE Zac Posen too. He has a fabulous Instagram account. And what a delicious treat to get to see the inside of the gown. I MEAN. Thank you ZAC! And Dita!

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  3. incredible inspiration to reach toward! the inside, a masterpiece. the vibrant red, love. how wonderfully enchanting to absorb all that energy for an evening like the met! i loved the dress the moment i saw it. the shape so distinct it is captivating. there is so much form it looks alive, like it is full of breath and liquid and movement independent of the lovely Dita von Tesse. although, the dress seems to have chosen her, don't you agree? thanks for finding and sharing! a dress that excites me like this doesn't come along often, rarely even.

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  4. oOOOOOOOh! Thanks for sharing!!

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  5. So interesting! It truly is a work of art!

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  6. When I saw Dita in that dress my first thought was holy mama what an amazing dress! (Quickly followed by *le sigh* Dita looks amazing yet again!)

    Great to see the inside of the dress, and you learn something new everyday.... next time I put on haute couture I need to go commando.... excellent stuff!

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  7. I love that dress - out of all the Met gowns, it jumped out at me. And the inside...lovely!!

    I think Zac Posen is a great designer, and the Clover dress is a masterpiece

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  8. That dress is so incredibly breathtaking! Thank you for sharing the inner works!

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  9. Beautiful, simply beautiful!

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  10. Good God that is Fabulous!!!

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  11. This dress is so fabulous it's making me hyperventilate.

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  12. Gorgeous and so interesting to see the inside, thanks for sharing.

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  13. As soon as I saw it I thought "Charles James". And who could wear a Charles James-type gown better than Dita von Teese?

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  14. You could also get the skirt to look that way with a nice Nitex inner structure (think fabric that acts like a giant roll of horsehair). And so true about the undergarment being built in your gown - I'm doing this with my wedding dress and it makes it look and feel oh so much better!

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    1. Nitex? I am really interested in this. I googled Nitex and only came up with plankton filter nets. What else might this be called?

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  15. My question is, What do you do when you have to go to the bathroom? ;) In all seriousness, I love seeing the "inner workings" of the dress.

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  16. I love this dress! Just beautiful!!!

    Not to be a Debbie Downer, but when are we getting back to the sew along? Your tips are invaluable!

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  17. Beautiful dress and structure, but I am practical and curious....How does she walk, much less climb the stairs, in that dress?

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  18. James's work with black dresses really beautiful.Get latest trendy women fashion from Carlyna.com. Shop evening gowns at affordable prices. Visit Now!

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  19. What I'm curious about is what you do with the laces of the corset when you wear something tight-fitting. I've googled and tried different ways to tie them, but the result is always a bit disappointing...

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    1. Corsets are usually laced so they tie at the waist. Usually, (certainly the case with the Zac Posen dress above) the dress over them has enough structure, that it's not seen.

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  20. They make a gorgeous pair! I secretly love him too. This dress is amazing! I love the inside and outside of it and wish I could try something like this on.

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  21. Unfortunately I never have a chance to be in the same room as a couture garment, never mind touch or see the inside of one. Thanks so much for this post. There is so much to learn and see!

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Thanks for your comments; I read each and every one! xo Gertie

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