Odalisque

Inspired by Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, Paul Poiret is credited with having launched the odalisque fashion style during a theme party he gave in his garden called One Thousand and One Nights. The fashion featured light, smooth fabrics, strong and vivid colours, wide-legged pants fastened tight at the ankle, like the ones traditionally worn by the women in a harem, turbans and voluminous evening capes. The term odalisque is still used to refer to a style of wide-legged crinkled or pleated pants, gathered at the ankle by a tie or elastic.