Adolfo
c. 1985
Gift of Mrs. Alfred Bloomingdale
2006.116.46AB

Ballooning taffeta sleeves and a matching floor-length bouffant skirt are bold design elements characteristic of 1980s fashion. The decade also enjoyed renewed appreciation for applied decoration, which added substantially to the cost of a garment. Here, wide bands of bead, sequin, and rhinestone embroidery were affixed to emerald green velvet in a meandering floral pattern. Though in tune with the time, this ensemble also harkens back to the silhouette and materials of the 1890s, an era favored by the designer.

2006.116.46AB Waist detail