Ensemble
ca. 1885
Medium
silk, plastic (celluloid), jet, feather
Classification
Ensemble
Culture
American
Department
Costume Institute
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Edith Gardiner, 1926
Accession Number
2009.300.621a–g
Art Historical Context
Step into the opulent world of 1880s American fashion *Ensemble* by Franziska Noll, circa 1885. This exquisite garment from the Costume Institute showcases the era's dramatic silhouettes, characterized by the exaggerated bustle that accentuated the female form, reflecting the Gilded Age's emphasis on elegance and social display. As an American piece, it highlights the growing sophistication of U.S. couture, influenced by European trends yet adapted for a burgeoning domestic luxury market. Crafted from luxurious silk, the ensemble incorporates innovative celluloid—a pioneering plastic invented...
About the Artist
Franziska Noll Gross · 1831–1906
Franziska Noll Gross (1831–1906), a German-born American dressmaker, emerged as a skilled practitioner of late 19th-century fashion design in New York City. Little is known about her early life or training, which remains sparsely documented, though she established her atelier at 136 East 19th Street by the late 1880s. Immigrating from Germany, she adapted to the vibrant American fashion scene, cat...