Jacket and skirt outfit Gianfranco Ferré Ready-to

File
N. 13
Picture
Object
Jacket and skirt outfit
Designer
Year
Gianfranco Ferré
1985
Label
Season
GIANFRANCO FERRE/MADE IN ITALY
Spring-Summer
Collection
Ready-to-wear
Look
49
Inventory
Size
42 (10)
Materials
Orange silk shantung with amaranthine/bordeaux arabesque print (SA Stucchi Adriano, Como, des. 18909), orange taffeta,
orange buttons, saffron yellow suede, saffron yellow silk shantung, yellow viscose taffeta, gold metal buckle
Working processes
Description
Full straight 1-button singlebreasted jacket with lapel collar, two insert slit pockets and bordered breast pocket. Orange
taffeta parementure. Broad padded shoulders, round sleeves with button on cuff. Back in two cuts of cloth sewn together
halfway down center. Two matching doubleface bias-cut side panels of different lengths tie in a big bow across the back. This
type of fastening makes the jacket appear smaller, close-fitting at waist.
Long slim skirt sewn from five squares of suede. Left slit, two insert pockets, two horizontal tucks at waist. Plus fauxwaistcoat with two points (lined in matching shantung) at mid front. Asymmetric zip closure in back, with double strap and
metal buckle/grommets on the faux-waistcoat above.
Remarks
This outfit represents a synthesis. The jacket reasserts the hybrid theme typical of the ‘80s as through the mere use of a silk
print fabric the singlebreasted men’s blazer goes ultrachic and feminine – with big knot in back heightening the impact. While
a clear reference to haute couture, Ferré fashions the bow in a totally innovative way. He bypasses classic sartorial methods
(i.e. modeling the back sections of fabric and sewing on a frill) and, quite the contrary, designs perfectly gauged flat surfaces
that take shape precisely by tying the bow. Here apparently his source of inspiration are Eastern modes of dress traditionally
all about draping and knotting a piece of cloth on the human form. The end result is a creation sparking comparisons with
great couturiers such as Balenciaga and Dior.
Surely inspired by the East is the choice of colors: saffron yellow, Tibetan monk orange and amaranthine red. Meanwhile the
material mix introduces the idea of a rethinking of classic clothing tenets in the interplay of (by definition) elegant silk
shantung print and (customarily) sport-casual suede. The combination of the two materials makes for an outfit open to
interpretation as to occasion of use, even if the high-profile jacket is enhanced by the velvety smooth and mat texture of the
skirt.
Sources
GFF Woman SS 1985 Container no. 249 vol. 1
Bibliography
Printed on 2-1-2010
© Fondazione Gianfranco Ferré - All rights reserved
Pg. # 1
File
N. 13
La Moda Italiana. Dall’antimoda allo stilismo, Electa, Milan 1987, pg. 139
Exhibitions
Acquisition
Author of file
Enrica Morini
Present location
Date of file
02/09/2009
Condition
Fair
Printed on 2-1-2010
© Fondazione Gianfranco Ferré - All rights reserved
Pg. # 2
File
N. 13
Printed on 2-1-2010
© Fondazione Gianfranco Ferré - All rights reserved
Pg. # 3
File
N. 20551
Details
Drawings
Printed on 2-1-2010
© Fondazione Gianfranco Ferré - All rights reserved
Page # 4
File
N. 20551
Runway shots
Printed on 2-1-2010
© Fondazione Gianfranco Ferré - All rights reserved
Page # 5