1980s Geoffrey Beene Black and Red Sequin, Lace, and Velvet Evening Dress MRS Couture

Dramatic high contrast black and red maxi length evening dress by Geoffrey Beene. The dress has long sleeves and a deep and wide scoop neckline; sleeves, neckline, and shoulders are fully sequined. The waist of the dress is fitted and features a ruched twist design in black semi-metallic flocked velvet. The skirt is composed of two layers, an bottom layer of black metallic flocked fabric (the same fabric on the waist), and a top layer of red velvet fabric with black polkadots. The red skirt has a wide black floral lace hem featuring sequins outlining the flowers. The red skirt skirt peaks up towards the sternum of the dress, giving it the illusion of being empire-waisted. Neck to waist zipper closure.

Geoffrey Beene began his career in the 1951s, designing under numerous New York houses including Teal Traina, and opened his own label in 1963. Beene was incredibly conscious of the human body, and was particularly regardful of the figure in motion – as Beene once said“clothing is nothing until it hits the body." His designs were created to work with the client’s body, encasing it lightly and giving it a more artful structure. His reinterpretations of dress formality, use of synthetics and unusual combination of materials (accessories in acrylic and diamonds, for example), set him aside from his contemporaries who focused on the business of fashion, rather than the artistry of fashion.

Clients include: Jacqueline Kennedy, Lynda Bird Johnson, Nancy Reagan, Paloma Picasso, and Gloria Steinem.