From the Archives: Bubble silhouette, 1958-59 - FIDM Museum (2024)

Also pictured in the 1958 editorial were sheath dresses made voluminous by overlayers of organdy or tulle. As is true of the dress featured in this post, the addition of transparent overlayers made simple sheaths more complex and intriguing. Though inherently fragile, the overlayer suggests a protective cocoon, or an insect's exoskeleton. In the black co*cktail or evening dress pictured here, the sheer overlayer is a voluminous bubble with diagonal pleats at center front. A wide velvet band holds the transparent bubble in place. To make walking easier, the front of the skirt is fashioned from two overlapping panels.Sitting would deflate the exaggerated silhouette, so a fashion-conscious wearer would have spent the evening on her toes.

S2007.897.8

The bubble silhouette was something of a fad in the late 1950s. Both Pierre Cardin and Hubert Givenchy had already experimented with the inflated silhouette, in 1954 and 1956 respectively. By the late '50s, it had become a popular choice for evening, co*cktail and prom wear. In 1958, the New York Times called the bubble skirt "one of the prettiest dance fashions for evening," especially when paired with sheer stockings and evening gloves.²

In the 1980s, a decade that witnessed numerous resurrections of 1950s style, the bubble skirt made a comeback. Also designed for evening, this early 1980s Yves Saint Laurent haute couture design features a dropped waist and bubble skirt. Today, the bubble skirt makes occasional appearances on the street and the runway. Most recently, Miu Miu's 2012 resort collection featured 1980's inspired bubble skirts, which you can seehere.

Evening dress
Silk velvet and taffeta
Yves Saint Laurent
1980-81
Museum Purchase
2003.5.20

1 Daves, Jessica. "Paris Fashion: Paris Collections: Skirts Rise Waistlines Rise New Shapes Fascinate."Vogue1 Mar. 1958: 105.
2"Skirting the Issue."New York Times1 Nov. 1958: 16.