Abstract
The “Delphos” dress is a masterpiece of Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949), one of the leading fashion designers active in Venice. Delphos is famous for its delicate pleat design, and it has had a huge impact since its release at the beginning of the 20th century. Although Delphos is highly regarded in the world of fashion and design, very few attempts have been made to investigate its original materials.
This thesis attempts to clarify the actual components of Fortuny’s pleats by studying the collection of the Kobe Fashion Museum and the Iwami Art Museum. Through this research, we came to understand Fortuny’s intention of creation and Delphos’s aesthetics, both of which are still relevant in the contemporary world.
The results of measurements and observations provided basic data and information about the Delphos dress, and contributed to the study of Fortuny. Nevertheless, it was found from the research that Fortuny sought irregularity in his creations, which defies evaluation and standardization. This defines Delphos’s charm and inspires contemporary audiences.
