Inspo | Robe de Minute, Paul Poiret

This long evening dress was made by Paul Poiret 'Le Magnifique', one of Paris' most celebrated couturiers at the turn of the century. It is literally just a long, straight rectangle with holes for sleeves and a rounded neckline. Utterly simple, it's a perfect DIY - especially given the vogue for all things flapper that will undoubtedly follow in the wake of Gatsby!

"The tunic was described as a robe de minute ('minute robe') because it took only half an hour to make. The prototype was made in 1908. Paul Poiret made this dress for his wife Denise, for their European Fashion Tour in 1911. She wore it for their visit to Berlin. Consisting of a pure, simple rectangle of white satin, it was the avant-garde prototype of the chemise dress of the 1920s, making its first appearance ten years before its time. Madame Poiret wore it with the Dufy printed coat (La Peise) and a single grey pearl at her neck." The V&A

Image from the Victoria and Albert Museum