Lot 95: Delphos Venezia | Pleated Delphos Style Dress

Ivory silk micro-pleated dress designed by Delphos Venezia, mirroring the “Delphos” and Mariano Fortuny-style.

Hand-made silk dress features fine micro-pleats, lined with a matching fabric, the design has a weightless quality that references classical Greek chiton garments and 20th-century designs of Henriette Negrin and Mariano Fortuny. The design features glass beads on both sides of the gown to weigh it down without taking away from the light and airy aesthetic. There is a Delphos Venezia label, with “Made in Italy, 100% Pure Silk, Dry Clean Only, Hand Made,” detailed on the back of the label.

The Delphos gown references  Hellenistic Greek myths, a style that has been reintroduced into fashion for centuries because of its elegance and timeless style. Henriette Negrin Fortuny is now credited with inventing micro pleating in 1909, which was introduced to Mariano Fortuny’s custom garments; the patent was filed in Fortuny’s name for expediency, but a note has surfaced with Mariano crediting his wife for the famous micro-pleating.