Pauline Trigere launched her label in 1942. She was from Paris and moved to the US in 1937. That early French influence showed throughout her career. In 1949 she was awarded her first Coty award. She won it again in both 1951 and 1959. The 1959 win coincided with being inducted into the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame. She was a pioneer in the use of cottons and wool for evening and her work with silks is wonderful. In 1961 she made headlines for being the first major fashion house to use an African American model. This is a stunning example of her work from the sixties and it is gorgeous.
This Pauline Trigere dress is extremely well made with a very high level of construction techniques. That alone makes it a fabulous piece for me. It is a joy to see dresses made to this fine level of workmanship. The dress is made from a matte black silk satin that has a rich luxurious feel to it. It has just enough weight to hold the intended shape that she wished for the dress The fabric has a slight sheen so catches the light beautifully and showcases those wonderful sculptural lines. The interior is constructed out of a fine black silk and the combination of the two silks makes the dress feel amazing once on. This double layer of silk also helps to give the gown the structure that you see. The neckline is extraordinary and I love the way it falls into that distinctive squared off shape. It skims over the bust and past the waist. It then curves out over over the hops where it starts to widen out tremendously. From there it falls to the floor in graceful curves of the silk. It falls with distinct curves created by clever seaming. As soon as I saw it on the dress form it reminded me of a more subdued version of the iconic Charles James clover dress and that way that skirt falls. All of the seaming is set vertically which makes the entire dress a more complicated task to piece together as the precision required is so much greater. The workmanship is exquisite and to demi-couture standards. Excellent condition.
Fully lined in a fine black silk and closes with a back zipper. Hand finishes throughout. It appears to have been worn very little if at all.
Bust: to 17.5" flat across from side seam to side seam
Waist: 14" flat across from side seam to side seam
Hips: open
Length: 57" from waist to hem with 3" turned under the hem
Modern Sizing Equivalent: SML-MED
Item# DD3993
This garment has been professionally cleaned, pressed and is odor free. Thoroughly checked over before shipping, it will be ready to wear upon arrival.
