Artwork
Premier bal

Premier bal is a drawing by Marie-Louise Carven. It dates from 1955 and is held in the collection of the Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris.
About this work
Overview
Premier bal, created circa 1955, is a fashion illustration by Marie-Louise Carven, founder of the Carven fashion house. The work focuses on a woman's formal attire, emphasizing the dress's design.
Subject & Meaning
The subject is a woman, unseen from the waist down, with her face obscured. The primary focus is her red and white formal dress, conveying elegance and poise through its depiction.
Technique & Style
The illustration contrasts red and white to highlight the dress's details, such as a red bow at the neckline. The plain background further emphasizes the garment, typical of fashion illustrations prioritizing the design.
History & Provenance
Created by Marie-Louise Carven, a pioneering couturier known for petite women's fashion and innovations like the first push-up bra patent, the piece is now held in the Museum of Ethnography.
Context
Premier bal reflects Carven's influence in mid-20th-century fashion, particularly in petite women's and ready-to-wear markets, though its placement in an ethnography museum suggests an interpretive shift towards cultural artifact.
Legacy
While specific legacy details of Premier bal are not highlighted, it represents Carven's contribution to fashion history, notably in design for petite frames and accessible, lightweight fashion elements.
Artist & collection
Artist
Marie-Louise Carven (31 August 1909 – 8 June 2015), born Carmen de Tommaso, was a French fashion designer who founded the house of Carven in 1945.
Museum
Palais Galliera - Musée de la Mode de la Ville de Paris
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