Skirt

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Block-printed Indian cotton textiles were imported into France during the second half of the 17th century. Their popularity spurred imitators and by the 18th century successful European copies were being produced. Indiennes, as the French version of Indian printed cottons were known, were fashionable during the late 18th century and retained their popularity in the Provence region, where they were adapted and retained for use in regional costume. The textile used in this petticoat is an example of a 19th-century Provençal indienne. The adoption of this printed petticoat for use by Millicent Rogers, known for her inimitable combinations of traditional silhouettes and 20th-century sensibilities, brings this regional French garment and once-fashionable textile full circle.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art