An homage to centuries of impeccable French fashion, our new Robe à la Française Zardozi Ornament celebrates a stylish 18th-century court dress in The Met collection.
French Fashion at The Met
No one sets trends quite like the French, who boast a long history of tastemaking in the realms of art, fashion, interiors, and beyond.
France remains a world leader in establishing what's en vogue—but even as far back as the 18th century, formal European dress was so closely associated with the fashions of the French court that it was universally referred to as the robe à la française, or "French dress."
The robes à la française are renowned for their astoundingly skilled tailoring and use of sumptuous textiles, which yielded wonderfully imaginative garments flaunting various color palettes, patterns, and other fanciful details.
In its most formal configuration, the robe à la française presents a striking silhouette so dramatically flared at the skirts that the wearer would have to pass through doors sideways. This exaggerated shape was achieved with structured undergarments called panniers, which may have been constructed with different materials such as flexible willow wands, whalebone wrapped in linen, or metal.
An Art Ornament Inspired by The Met Collection
Our new Robe à la Française Zardozi Ornament reimagines an elaborate British court dress (shown above) from around 1750. Now in the collection of The Met’s Costume Institute, this exquisite example of the robe à la française features intricate metallic-thread embroidery throughout. The expansiveness of the skirt is emphasized by the form-fitting bodice insert, which is richly ornamented with a floral motif.
This velveteen ornament evokes the dress’s embellishments through a heavily detailed, centuries-old embroidery technique known as zardozi. Derived from the Persian zar (gold) and dozi (embroidery), this type of metal-thread embroidery became especially prevalent in Mughal India, where highly skilled artisans hand-sewed intricate compositions on velvets, silks, and satins. More recently, the craft is experiencing a revival, which we celebrate with our fabulous art-inspired ornament.
Gifts for Art Lovers
Shop the Robe à la Française Zardozi Ornament, along with other collectible ornaments, in-store and online, and click here for our comprehensive guide to Met Store ornaments. Plus, browse our new Fall Catalog for a jump-start on holiday gifts, decor, and more.
