Russet Toned Silk and Bronzed Mantle

This garment is a stunning rendition of silks all in the pink, orange, and red range. The pieced together design is so striking, and the addition of the bronze braid outlining the entire design serves to graphically drive home the details. The silk panels not only overlap one another to create dimension but they are trimmed with bronze fringe that adds lively animation to the the piece.

The way that the mix of colors has mellowed over time is incredible, as it creates a relationship between the colors that may not have been quite as poignant when the piece was first designed and no doubt brighter. The red detailing is all embroidered, and that treatment creates a heft that makes those sections seem like armor overlay. The aspect of the threadbare pink silk shoulder taking on the greenish tint of the bronze trim is a perfect example of serendipitous changes that time renders making the visual richness far more intriguing that the piece would have been newly made.