A Grand Look Inside the Costume Institute's Charles James Exhibit

James posed a challenge to himself to create this dress — and the adjacent gown and ribbon cape — using lengths of 6 1⁄2-inch-wide antique silk ribbons. The vertical edges of the ribbons, cut to follow the contours of the body, generate the dress's fit, and additional pieces at the bottom of each ribbon are folded into points to create decorative flares at the hem.