Helmut Lang (Austrian, b. 1956). Evening Dress (detail), fall/winter 2004–5. White mushroom-pleated silk organza, white silk chiffon, and natural horsehair. The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Gift of Mr. Helmut Lang, 2006 (2006.76).
Helmut Lang designs accrued “street cred” because their uncompromising modernism was also informed by the edginess of the urban demimonde. Sharply tailored with an astringent aesthetic, Lang’s clothing was often constructed of high-tech or unconventional materials. His collections were variously cited as minimalist, deconstructivist, and, on occasion, brutalist.
With this design, Lang combines references to two precipitating strands of the early modern movement—primitivism and classicism. Other designers, from Alix Grès to Azzedine Alaia, have paired tribal and Greco-Roman details in one ensemble, but Lang’s conflation literally layers, rather than merges, his evocation of sources with Hellenic and African effect. In a typical expression of his “raw and cooked” methodology, the designer juxtaposed coarse natural horsehair with finely pleated silk organza and silk chiffon.
“This dress was a made-to-measure piece created for “Scéance de Travail,” autumn/winter ’04–’05, a collection that has a number of influences from Central and Eastern European culture. The horsehair circle, front panel, and fitted top are derived from the representation of reduced key components of the local folkloric costume—skirt, apron, and corset.”
—Helmut Lang
December 26, 2007 at 12:20 pm
I think that is a really interesting. I love Hussein Chalayan.
December 26, 2007 at 1:36 pm
this exhibit was very interseting. I liked how you did a lot of spoofs it made it funny some of the dresses were unusual. my favorite was the pink puffy dress it was beautiful
December 26, 2007 at 2:27 pm
Even if draws inspiration folkloric sources, Lang has this very modern edge, a somewhat inevitable contemporary feel.
I am really missing Lang’s presence in the fashion arena. He is in a class of his own.
December 26, 2007 at 2:48 pm
Looks more like a meeting of minds between Madame Grès and Mainbocher, obviously under a classical influence. It honestly doesn’t feel particularly contemporary at all, merely rehashed.
December 26, 2007 at 4:45 pm
Fashion does have that tendency to be “recycled” or “re-made.”
December 26, 2007 at 5:57 pm
A latter-day Emma Hamilton, searching for the perfect costume for a performance of her Attitudes, would be in heaven with this gown. It’s Greek-gossamer wonderful!
December 26, 2007 at 6:15 pm
I tend to prefer fashion that looks like something I could wear. This looks very romantic and not overwhelming.
December 27, 2007 at 12:08 pm
Every amazon must have a bit of horsehair!
December 27, 2007 at 2:24 pm
While this is an attractive dress, I do care for layers. Tend to be not comfortable.
Nancy Marie
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Nancy Marie Paris Fashion
December 27, 2007 at 4:06 pm
I love this, but am disturbed by the use of horsehair. It’s a little too “lifelike” for me.
December 27, 2007 at 8:17 pm
The horsehair just looks tacked-on. It doesn’t have anything to do with the rest of the dress. And why would any woman want to wear a ballgown with a butt fringe?
December 28, 2007 at 4:18 pm
I like it but… the butt fringe.
December 29, 2007 at 1:18 pm
this is an amazing dress. It is amazing how it was made
December 29, 2007 at 3:22 pm
I love the flowiness of this dress. It reminds me of the dresses the ancient Egyptians wore, and I really like those! I did a project on them!
December 29, 2007 at 3:38 pm
Its really pretty and looks comfortable with the pleets
December 29, 2007 at 4:24 pm
reminds me of ancient Greek sculptures!
December 29, 2007 at 4:33 pm
is he related 2 vera wang? cuz if he is i would totally buy it… wait, his last name is lang… oppppps… blonde moment…PEACE!
December 29, 2007 at 7:22 pm
This dress is very elegant and flatering.
December 30, 2007 at 11:10 am
I adore the mushroom pleating. The touch of horse hair makes it eclectic in an elegant way. I wish that I could try it on.
December 31, 2007 at 9:02 am
I agree with Gloria Guinness that this dress is a rehash…but with horse hair. Horse hair does not a classic make.
December 31, 2007 at 9:21 am
interesting discourse on variations of constumes offerings
January 2, 2008 at 7:22 pm
Elegant, simple, and stylish. A definite winner in what’s hot. Marvelous image, copies have been made but not as close as beautiful as this fascinating dress. Not only is it historic but a real step forward in the fashion industry. I would personally love to have this dress in my size, and in my closet.
January 3, 2008 at 11:53 am
I think that this dress is very nice. Although it is kind of hard to see the detail, I think that I would buy it.
January 3, 2008 at 12:51 pm
An intersting combination of materials and contrasting lines - more of a piece of art (as are most avante garde pices)…I like it!
January 4, 2008 at 5:12 pm
It’s “fascinating” to hear how “nice”and “interesting” the general public finds this exhibit. One has to wonder, however, aside from the museum’s obvious attempt to be hip/contemporary, if there is truly any point in offering a digital grafitti wall for people to espouse their bland opinions. Myself included.
January 7, 2008 at 11:07 am
This series of dresses was absolutely stunning. It was wonderful how Lang fused the classical technique of Gres onto a modern, almost althletic looking, sheer base. It gave it a completely modern edge.
I have to say though that the white one wasn’t my favorite, it was far more stunning in black or inky blue as shown on the runway.
January 7, 2008 at 12:08 pm
In addition I forgot to add that up close that pleating is beyond mesmorizing. I saw it at the FIT exhibit “Love and War”, literally a foot away from my face without any glass to get in the way. It was exquisite, impossible to describe except that the closeup does it no justice. Not a thread in sight.
January 9, 2008 at 9:35 am
I like this, its very beautiful and could be seen today on the red carpet!
January 15, 2008 at 2:17 pm
love the bodice and front/back panels
don’t know how i feel about horsehair
as long as they weren’t harmed
heavenly
January 19, 2008 at 2:39 pm
I think this dress is gorgeous but hun, what they do to those horses is just sad. And that is the truth.
January 19, 2008 at 5:57 pm
I love the exhibit and the presentation. I’m just having trouble reading the commentary along side each item. Either the printing is too small. or it isn’t lit quite right, or it’s located in an impossble place to see. FIT seems to have solve this problem beautifully without taking anything away from the items on exhibit. The MET should really check their fashion galleries out.
January 21, 2008 at 1:45 pm
We had great fun, looking at dresses over the ages.
What I enjoyed most was being with my daughter and even more to see that we loved the same dresses.
Like going shopping without needing a credit card
Both of us loved the red and black dress that we did not see up in the site to specifically comment on.
January 21, 2008 at 4:28 pm
I liked most of the dresses.they were beautiful.
I liked the calm ones better.not the puffy fancy ones.
January 30, 2008 at 11:17 am
Beautiful.. it really reminds me of the ancient Greeks, the use of the horse hair is different a little odd, but i think its like a more modern take of the ancient greeks empire waist dresses .
February 1, 2008 at 10:15 pm
This is beautiful, and very interesting… The combination of the Classical silhouette and the Germanic components is something I haven’t seen before.
February 9, 2008 at 4:15 pm
am i the only one that cant see it?
its too bright on the screen haha
February 14, 2008 at 12:29 am
This dress is amazing, its simple but it has that certain wow to it.
February 17, 2008 at 4:28 pm
Stunning dress, it is a shame Helmut Lang sold his company. He was one of the true original designers.
Great exhibit.
February 18, 2008 at 3:02 pm
I really love this dress. It’s very pretty. It would have been nice to take a picture of it.. but oh well. It’s really a shame that the picture doesn’t clearly show how beautiful this dress is.
The exhibit was breath taking.
March 6, 2008 at 1:05 pm
this dress is gorgeous..it is so amazing..i wish i had a dress just like this one
March 22, 2008 at 10:34 am
this is just not beautiful AT ALL!!!! XP
March 28, 2008 at 2:57 pm
The juxtaposition of the raw horsehair with silk is clearly a response to Alexandrian incursion into Egypt, as well as an echo of the Silk Road and its democritization of fashion and taste between civilisations as far flung as China and Hellenic-influenced Rome. The imposition of a Hellenic or Roman Imperial style on materials native to northern Africa or the central Asian steppe reflects the central irony of Alexander’s rule; the iron-fisted control of much of Europe, Asia, and north Africa by a civilisation now renowned for its introduction of the democratic system. Commentary on the aesthetic value of the piece fails to grasp the inherent value of fashion as political, social, and economic evaluation. In fact, many of the same arguments used in discussion of Post-colonial literature (notably by the theorest Edward Said) could be applied.
April 5, 2008 at 10:14 am
beautiful/elegant gown. i would wear it. =]
April 7, 2008 at 10:29 pm
‘Commentary on the aesthetic value of the piece fails to grasp the inherent value of fashion as political, social, and economic evaluation. In fact, many of the same arguments used in discussion of Post-colonial literature (notably by the theorest Edward Said) could be applied.’
I agree. In his brilliant, seminal book ‘Orientalism’ Edward Said challenges discourses of power, ‘ideological fictions’, like the idea of ‘the Orient’ defined as other than ‘the Occident’, the Orient as almost a European invention.
April 13, 2008 at 10:57 am
j`ai adorer l`exposition