The Tears Dress
February 1938
Materials
Viscose-rayon and silk blend fabric printed with trompe l’oeil print
House / label
Schiaparelli
Collection
Summer 1938 Circus collection; made February 1938
Archive reference
Victoria and Albert Museum · T.393&A,D to F-1974
Behind the design
Schiaparelli and Salvador Dalí created the Tears Dress for the Circus collection. Printed marks imitate torn cloth on the dress; openings in the matching head veil are cut and lined in contrasting colors. The V&A explicitly identifies its style as Surrealist.
