DRESS: EVENING, LILAC SILK

This dress was bought by Miss Nancy Russell in Paris in 1938 or 1939 when she was a student at the Sorbonne. She donated it to the museum in the 1980s
Nancy grew up in WA and was home-schooled before going on to Perth College and then UWA and the Sorbonne and becoming a teacher. During the second world war she served in the middle east and South East Asia, assisting with the repatriation of prisoners of war. She returned to Perth and was Headmistress of Kobeelya Girls School Katanning. She was an active member of the Karrakatta Club in Subiaco and awarded an MBE in 1946. She died in 2003.
Nancy bought this dress around the age of 30.
An example of a floor length evening dress in grey silk. In the 1930s we move away from 1920s androgyny into more feminine silhouettes. Floral prints, flutter sleeves and ruffles are common during this period – just like this.
This dress would likely have been highly fashionable at the time as it came from Paris. Paris is the centre for fashion at the time with the rise of the haute couture fashion houses. Vionette, Chanel, Molyneux, Schiapperelli, Balenciaga.

Round neck with two rows of frills.
Short full sleeves into a band, covered with eight rows of accordion pleated frills.
Some gathering on each shoulder and front waist under bust line.
Skirt is slightly flared and is entirely covered with accordion pleated frills. Side fastening with press studs.
Zippers were starting to be used in female dresses at this time but this dress still uses press studs.