Norell is an American fashion icon, having been one of the few, true, American couturiérs whose designs were comparable to those of the Paris elite. Renowned for the repetitive use of heavy surface decorations in his eveningwear garments—one of his most innovative, signature, creations was the 'mermaid gown,' [mid-1960's] which beared the design of being completely covered in hand applied sequins, therefore giving the illusion of liquid.

 

During Doyle New York's Couture/Textiles sales, a late-1960's fully sequined evening dress fetched a hammer price of $4,250 during the 14th Dec. '01 sale, and also another fully sequined dress of the mid-1960's sold at $3,750 during the 9th April, '03 sale!

 

Throughout his eveningwear designs, the often use of elaborate surface decorations, became his world-famous signature design trait—this example is striking evidence! Fashioned from beige silk crepe, and fully hand beaded by the use of embroidering fine threads throughout the crepe which were strung with mirco, clear glass bugle beads.

 

To further add to the richness of the beads alone, an array of vivid & shimmering sequins were then also applied to a floral-type motif. This combination of subtle (as noted in the clear bugle beads), paired with the bold colour scheme chosen for the sequins, allows all the surface decoration to clearly be noticeable, and prove amazing! There is also bugle bead fringe trim at the hemline!

 

The dress has been cut with a gently billowing top, thus immediately drawn in at the waist thereafter, and decorated with distinct, horizontal rows of the bugle beads, as though designed to give the illusion of a belt detail, and from there the skirt portion simply hangs downward against the wearer due to it's heavy weight nature.

 

It fastens at the back with a zipper, and is lined with an interior silk satin slip, which is complete with it's own seperate zipper to the outerdress (please note the dress was a touch too small for our mannequin and is not fastened, though does fasten fully from the waist up).

 

A most spectucular dress, that bears absolute couture quality in the construction & also the decoration, Norell was noted as being the only American designer, and one of the few world-wide couturiérs, to be successful in producing what was noted as 'couture ready to wear.' It's an array of 1000's of beads!

 

 

Measurements: Bust 34", Waist 23".