Swan in strawberries on black KCI Charles James is considered by

Charles James is considered by the Met to be the ‘only American to work in the true couture tradition’

The dress is made from chiyogami (Japanese paper)

This hand-stitched paper dress is based on a ballgown created by Charles James between 1950-1952

This hand-stitched paper dress is based on a silk evening suit designed by Charles James in 1951

This hand-stitched paper dinner dress is based on a ‘Robe de dîner en velours vieux bleu’ by Paris designer Jean Magnin

Swan in strawberries on black KCI Charles James is considered byThis swan is based on an illustration of Der Schwan from Johann Daniel Meyers 1748 book Angenehmer Und Ntzlicher Zeit Vertreib Mit Betrachtung Curioser Vorstellungen Allerhand Kriechender, Fliegender Und Schwimmender, Auf Dem Land Und Im Wasser Sich Befindender Und Nhrender Thiere. In English, thats A pleasant and useful pastime, with the contemplation of curious ideas about all sorts of crawling, flying, and swimming animals, living and feeding on