By Annette Holzworth

According to an ancient myth, Pygmalion, a sculptor disenchanted by mortal women, created an image of a feminine perfection. Venus–the Greek Aphrodite–responded to his prayers and brought the statue to life as Galatea.

Through the centuries, art and fashion have also gone through transformations as styles of dress from Classic and Hellenic periods are portrayed.

Pictured left: Dinner Dress, 1992 – 1923
Paul Poiret (French, 1880 – 1944), The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York,
The Costume Institute; right: Eirene,
Daughter of Zeus and Themis,
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

In the absence of any surviving clothing, art and literature alone give us information and modern designers have adopted certain characteristics because of their timeless quality. Sheer fabrics that drape the body, asymmetrical necklines that bare one should and the Greek key design used as trim are examples.

The wet-draping stylization gives the appearance that the cloth is clinging to the body, the animated folds both concealing and revealing contours of the body beneath.

Pictured left: Evening Gown, 1920s
Mariano Fortuny (Italian, born 1943),
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York, The Costume Institute; right: The
Personification of Nike, The Metropolitan
Museum of Art, New York

Pictured left: Evening Gown, 1880s
Attributed to Liberty of London, The
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New
York, The Costume Institute; right: The
Victory of Samothrace, Paris, Musee du Louvre

During the fashion era marked by use of heavy corseting to achieve a lady-like contour, references to Hellenic attire were superficial. During the early 1900’s, with the return to the un-corseted body image, the classic style flourished once again. Ancient Hellenic style continues to inspire designers, testimony to the universal attempt to transform woman into goddess through dress.

Images sketched by Barbara White from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Special Exhibitions: Goddess Pygmalion’s Galatea: Art of Life