Elite Dressmaking and Urban Change - Ivory Walking Ensemble

maudebasskrueger
May 18
3 min read

Antoinette Simon &

Emma Bach (1860-1956)

(Successeur), Montagne

de la Cour 53, Brussels

Ca. 1878

Silk, lace, embroidery

Donated by Mme. Baeck, 1976

Royal Museums of Art and History,

Brussels

C.0630.00

This elegant ivory silk afternoon ensemble, consisting of an open square-neck bodice and a trailing bustled skirt, is a refined example of late nineteenth-century Belgian fashion, probably dating from around 1878. A detachable cravat of machine-made scalloped black lace layered over cream bobbin lace adds a dramatic touch and provides a striking contrast to the otherwise bone-colored ensemble. The asymmetrical skirt, gathered at the back, accentuates the low bustle-style silhouette that became popular in the late 1870s. Signs of wear—such as perspiration marks beneath the arms and soiling along the train—suggest the dress was worn for outdoor use, perhaps as a “robe de promenade” or walking gown. Despite this functionality, the luxurious materials—ivory silk, fine lace, and embroidered embellishments—underscore its aristocratic refinement and elite clientele.

Attributed to the dressmaker Emma Bach (1860-1956) through a label on the inside of the jacket, successor to the esteemed Brussels couturière Antoinette Simon (n.d.), the ensemble is an example of a fashionable dress made by one of the most esteemed Brussels fashion houses of its day, supplier to Belgian royal family. Evidence of the maison’s prestige can be found in two “Retour de Paris” cards from 1898 and 1901, preserved in the Vliegende Bladen archive at Ghent University. Sent to clients upon her return from Paris, Antoinette Simon used these cards to announce the arrival of the latest fashions in her Brussels boutique. Signed “Antoinette Simon, Emma Bach, Successeur,” the cards functioned both as invitations and as statements of continuity, reassuring clients of the maison’s ongoing operations following the retirement or death of its original founder. It is likely that Antoinette Simon established the boutique’s reputation as a supplier to the royal family—an association Emma Bach, her successor, would have sought to preserve by linking her name to that of her predecessor. In the upper corner of the card, the coat of arms of Marie of Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen (1845-1912), Countess of Flanders, is prominently displayed, publicizing the maison’s aristocratic clientele. Newspaper archives and surviving garments further attest to the house’s popularity, noting that its commissioned creations were regularly showcased in the boutique’s window displays, serving both as a form of advertisement and as a visible demonstration of the maison’s exceptional craftsmanship to the public of Brussels.

This ensemble also offers a window into a part of Brussels that no longer exists due to urban redevelopment. The shop’s address, 53 Montagne de la Cour, as indicated on the label, was once part of a thriving commercial district that had medieval origins. By the nineteenth century, the area had transformed into a prestigious shopping street, populated by high-end boutiques and luxury ateliers. Almanacs confirm that the Maison Antoinette Simon was located at this address between 1868 and 1891. However, as part of an urban renewal project by King Leopold II to create a new cultural center to showcase the wealth of the fledgling nation, albeit largely funded by colonialism, much of this district was demolished after 1908 to make way for the new Mont des Arts, forcing the Maison Antoinette Simon to move to the Boulevard de Waterloo in the same year.

This ensemble is far more than a fashionable garment. It encapsulates a pivotal moment in Brussels' history - when the city was undergoing a transformation under the influence of modern urban planning, royal ambition, and colonial wealth. It speaks to the social status not only of the wearer but also of the skilled dressmaker who crafted it. Moreover, the collaboration between Antoinette Simon and Emma Bach offers a rare glimpse into professional mentorship between female dressmakers in the nineteenth-century fashion industry. As such, this garment stands as a material witness to the cultural, urban, and social currents that shaped the city—and its fashion—in the decades before the turn of the century.

Written by Febe Hindryckx & Nele Ramaekers

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