Woman's Dress from Liberty
Clothing and Dress
<p>This peacock blue dress is from the Liberty department store in London, England. Arthur Lasenby Liberty (1843-1917) began his career in fashion at Farmer and Roger’s, a firm selling cloaks and shawls imported from China and India. The 1862 Great London Exhibition, held in South Kensington, London opened during Liberty’s first year of work there. This international fair included displays from around the world, including one from Japan, showcasing textiles, clothing, and machinery used in textile production. The decorative arts firm Morris, Marshall, Faulkner & Co. exhibited the designs of William Morris, one of the founders of the British Arts and Crafts Movement, with whom Liberty was to become friends. The fair sparked increased interest in Asian textiles, so Farmer and Roger’s added the words “Oriental Warehouse” to their name, and soon promoted Liberty to become a manager.<br /><br />Liberty received a loan of ₤2,000 from his future father-in-law, Henry Blackmore, prior to his marriage to Emma Louise Blackmore in 1875. With this money, approximately $214,000 in today’s dollars, Liberty opened a store on Regent Street, offering goods and fabrics from faraway places. The shop would move to its current address on Great Marlborough Street in 1924, after Liberty’s death.<br /><br />Liberty saw opportunity not only in providing exotic textiles but in branching out into furniture, dressmaking, and more. The softly-draping silks, velvets, and cashmere were made for the flowing Aesthetic-style clothing. Peacock feathers, a symbol of wealth and beauty in many eastern cultures, had become a much-used motif of the Aesthetic Movement. Arthur Silver designed the first peacock fabric for Liberty around 1887; known as Hera for the Greek goddess, it is still produced today and the peacock feather remains a symbol of the Liberty brand.<br /><br />The general public became more familiar with imported Oriental designs and goods due to England’s increased contact with these cultures during the second half of the 19<sup>th</sup> century. Businessman Sir Thomas Wardle, who often collaborated with William Morris, worked to improve silk production and dyeing techniques in England as well as India and imported quantities of silks from India and the Middle East. Liberty’s shop in Regent Street specialized in Eastern goods, supplying a ready market for all beginning in the 1870s. <span>“The Aesthetic movement and the Arts and Crafts movement were steered partly by Liberty. And fashion was changing as well as art, women were moving away from tight corseted Victorian clothing and looking to a Pre-Raphaelite and aesthetic painting to inspire them.” (Galore, 2018).</span><br /><br />Liberty also sold embroidered textiles, such as Japanese fukusa, finely embroidered squares used to cover gifts, and designs by Scotswoman Ann Macbeth. For Liberty, Macbeth provided Art Nouveau embroidery designs featured in the firm's mail order catalogues until the outbreak of the WWI. Her designs were sold by Liberty as iron-on transfers for the embroidery of dresses and furniture.<br /><br />This sleeveless evening dress is made of layers of blue and dark green silk chiffon, and decorated with silk embroidery. It probably was sold with a matching slip or underdress which did not come with the donation. The green silk has been placed over the blue; combined they create a deep peacock-blue-colored dress. The fabrics fall from the narrow shoulder seams and gather under the bust, forming a V-neck in front. The fabrics hang from this high waist to the hem, which is curved on both front and back. The gathers are emphasized by a line embroidered with brown silk.<br /><br />The shoulders and hem are decorated with embroidered peacock feathers, in silk floss of green, blue and brown, which have also been placed over the natural waist at each side of the dress. The back includes a panel, made from both colors of silk treated as one, falling from the shoulders. Also decorated with embroidered peacock feathers, this would have created a diaphanous flow of fabric behind the woman wearing the dress.<br /><br />The 1920s saw the widespread use of the term “flapper” to describe young women who were seen to mock the confining fashions and demure passivity of older women, and who reveled in their freedom. This break with traditional values can be found in the ideas of the Aesthetic Movement, with which Arthur Liberty was involved, and the promotion of dress reform in the late 19<sup>th</sup> century. Having been freed from restrictive corsets and long dresses, and reacting to the social changes brought about by the first World War, young women began to wear dresses that were loose-fitting, shortened to the knees, and body revealing. The flapper stands as one of the more enduring images of youth and new women in the 20th century, and she is viewed by modern-day Americans as something of a cultural heroine. However, back in the 1920s, many Americans regarded flappers as threatening to conventional society, representing a new moral order. Most of them were the daughters of the middle class, and they flouted middle-class values.</p>
<p>The cover image of <em>Life</em> magazine, February 2, 1922, by Frank Xavier Leyendecker, shows a dress quite similar in style to the one donated to the university. Sleeveless, with a V-neck and gathers under the bust, as well as a curved hem, and of a sheer fabric leaving little to the imagination, this young butterfly, labeled “The Flapper” represents the significant changes that took place in women’s clothing between 1910 and 1925.<br /><br />References</p>
<p>Art nouveau liberty & Co. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2021, from <span><a href="https://antique-marks.com/art-nouveau-liberty.html">https://antique-marks.com/art-nouveau-liberty.html</a></span></p>
<p>Cooper, S. (2018, December 13). A historical look at Liberty London. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from <a href="https://www.crfashionbook.com/culture/a25470880/historical-look-at-liberty-london/">https://www.crfashionbook.com/culture/a25470880/historical-look-at-liberty-london/</a></p>
<p>Dandyandrose. (2013, June 12). Arthur Lasenby Liberty. Retrieved February 27, 2021, from <a href="https://dandyandrose.com/tag/arthur-lasenby-liberty/">https://dandyandrose.com/tag/arthur-lasenby-liberty/</a></p>
<p>Galore, F. (2018, September 25). The history of liberty. Retrieved February 27, 2021, from <span><a href="https://www.fabricsgalore.co.uk/blogs/news/the-history-of-liberty#:~:text=Liberty%20of%20London%20has%20an,shawl%20emporium%20on%20Regent%20Street.&amp;text=The%20shop%20was%20christened%20Liberty%20of%20London%20and%20absolutely%20flourished">https://www.fabricsgalore.co.uk/blogs/news/the-history-of-liberty#:~:text=Liberty%20of%20London%20has%20an,shawl%20emporium%20on%20Regent%20Street.&amp;text=The%20shop%20was%20christened%20Liberty%20of%20London%20and%20absolutely%20flourished</a></span>.</p>
<p>Liberty & Co. to 'Liberty Style'. (n.d.). Retrieved March 01, 2021, from <span><a href="http://www.archibaldknoxsociety.com/page_112141.html">http://www.archibaldknoxsociety.com/page_112141.html</a></span></p>
<p>Oshinsky, S. J. (2006). Christopher Dresser (1834-1904). Retrieved February 27, 2021, from <span><a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cdrs/hd_cdrs.htm">https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/cdrs/hd_cdrs.htm</a></span></p>
<p>Parry, L. (2005). <em>Textiles of the Arts and Crafts Movement</em>. London: Thames & Hudson.</p>
<p>Reddy, K. (2018, May 11). 1920-1929. Retrieved February 27, 2021, from <span><a href="https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1920-1929/">https://fashionhistory.fitnyc.edu/1920-1929/</a></span></p>
<p>William Morris. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2021, from <span><a href="https://williammorrissociety.org/about-william-morris/">https://williammorrissociety.org/about-william-morris/</a><br /></span></p>
Donor: Mr. and Mrs. Henry G. Clark<br /><br />The donor information states that the dress was purchased by Mrs. Joseph W. Greene (Emmily Gifford Noyes, 1892-1977) at Liberty, London, England, in 1922. Mrs. Greene had given the dress to the Clark's daughter, Judith, to use as a costume dress.
1922
Hannah Wood
Susan J. Jerome, MS '06
URI 1959.32.03
Woman's Dress by Hattie Carnegie
Clothing and Dress
<p>This dress was given to the University of Rhode Island prior to the establishment of the Historic Textile and Costume Collection. Information concerning the donor remains incomplete. Information on the probable original owner of the dress can be found on the back of the Hattie Carnegie tag attached to a skirt seam in the dress. This marks it as made for “Mrs. W.D. Smith” with an address of “910 Fifth Ave.” The word “Capet'' and numbers “C1541” probably indicate the design/model information of the garment.</p>
<p>The dress is in near perfect condition, with only mild and expected fraying along some inner pinked or unfinished seams, loose threads along finished seams, and some minor tears in the delicate georgette lining of the bodice.</p>
<p>The garment label affixed to a seam on the proper right of the body of the dress denotes the business as Hattie Carnegie Inc., which was established in 1919, after Hattie Carnegie (1886-1956) bought out her partner Rose Roth’s share of their company. The tag is the same as one on a 1930 Skating Dress at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (accession number C.I.51.86.2) which reinforces the date of this dress to the 1930s.</p>
<p>Based on microscopic observation, the base fabric of the dress is silk with a pile made from rayon. This combination of fibers creates a transparent velvet which is very lightweight, with a soft and smooth hand and a flexible drape. The bodice is lined with a very thin and sheer georgette. The sheer fabric allows for the construction details of the dress to still be observed despite an added lining. </p>
<p>This Hattie Carnegie dress has a complex pattern with many pieces and small details. The dress is cut on the bias, as was popular in the 1930s. Overall the dress has a fairly timeless appeal, but all the details, such as the sleeve and side embellishments, the large bow, the zigzag seamlines, and the handkerchief hem speak to something much more elaborate. It is well known that Hattie Carnegie took much inspiration from Madeleine Vionnet; similar design elements seen in this dress can be found in Vionnet sketches and designs. A sketch from 1922 of a dress with an imitation obi butterfly-knot similar to the large bow at the back of the Hattie Carnegie dress, and a sketch by Mary Mackinnon from September of 1920 of one of Vionnet’s favorite pieces featuring a handkerchief hem, loose bodice, and zigzag seamlines are very similar to the same elements seen in this Carnegie dress.</p>
<p>The dress was machine sewn, but not without flaws. The needle seems to have punched through the delicate fabric at points and there are places where it doesn’t seem to lay properly, possibly due to being laid or pinned improperly during the sewing process.</p>
<p>Evening gowns in this decade were often bias cut from silky or clinging fabrics to create an elegant drape; they also frequently had hems that were close to floor length with small trains on the back. Evening gowns were fitted through the waist and hips and would loosen around mid-thigh or just above the knees, flaring out to the floor. This dress being so on trend shows a clear care for current fashions and appearance from Mrs. Smith. In addition to being able to afford a likely custom Hattie Carnegie dress, Mrs. Smith was living on Fifth Avenue, which was then and remains to this day one of the wealthiest areas of New York City. Mrs. W.D. Smith and her husband were clearly a part of the New York City elite and she likely had many occasions to wear such gowns. She would have been seen as a proper and classy woman, easily establishing her wealth and rank through an on-trend gown. The tag itself labels it as “a la mode” cementing its place as a true example of fashion forward dress. </p>
<p>This Hattie Carnegie dress not only remains as an example of upper class style in the 1930s, but also proves the timeless nature of certain silhouettes. It is not hard to imagine this dress being sold today for special occasions. It is simple enough to remain classic and wearable but has enough defining details to be traced back to its original era. The only true giveaway now would be the use of a hook and eye closure rather than a zipper. A woman could just as easily select this dress today to feel elegant and beautiful for a formal event as Mrs. W.D. Smith did when she originally acquired the dress.</p>
<p>References</p>
<p>“Carnegie, Hattie.” Vintage Fashion Guild, July 10, 2010. https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/carnegie-hattie/.</p>
<p>Kirke, Betty. Essay. In <em>Madeleine Vionnet</em>, 48 and 64. San Francisco, CA: Chronicle Books, 1991.</p>
<p>Morse, Jeremy. “Building: 910 Fifth Avenue.” StreetEasy. Zillow Inc. Sites. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://streeteasy.com/building/910-5-avenue-new_york.</p>
<p>Sessions, Debbie. “What Did Women Wear in the 1930s? 1930s Fashion Guide.” Web log. <em>Vintage Dancer</em> (blog), April 10, 2014. https://vintagedancer.com/1930s/women-1930s-fashion/#:~:text=1930s%20Fashion%20Trends,like%20shorts%2C%20striped%20knit%20shirts.</p>
<p>Tortora, Phyllis G. “Figure 6.2.” Essay. In <em>Understanding Textiles</em>. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill, 1992.</p>
<p>“Vintage Clothing History Guide: Zips & Zippers.” Revival Vintage. Accessed March 8, 2021. https://www.revivalvintage.co.uk/blog/post/vintage-clothing-history-guide-zips-and-zippers/%7D/#:~:text=The%20first%20type%20were%20made,more%20popular%20in%20women's%20clothing.</p>
<p>“Wedding Dress C.I.62.25.5.” metmuseum.org. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/110521.</p>
<p>“Wedding Dress C.I.62.25.6a, b.” metmuseum.org. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed March 1, 2021. https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/110523.</p>
<p>Wingate, Isabel B. “Apparel Fabrics for Women and Children.” Essay. In <em>Textile Fabrics and Their Selection. Fifth Edition</em>, 428. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1964.</p>
Hattie Carnegie, Inc. <br />Paris, Palm Beach, New York
Donor: In department prior to 1951
ca. 1932
Cora Staber
The dress has a handkerchief hem with eight petal shaped skirt panels; the skirt panels are not all of equal width, ranging between 17” and 24.5” at the ends of the seams.<br />There is a large bow at the back with 9” bow loops and tails of 15 ¾” and 25 ½” long.
URI 1950.01.47
Woman's Coat by Lucien Lelong
Clothing and Dress
This coat of beige silk crepe decorated with braid and cording has a label identifying it as designed by Lucien Lelong (1889-1958). The tag stitched into the lining of the coat labels it as Lucien Lelong, made in Paris, France at 16 Rue Matignon and includes the phrase “Modèle Déposé,” meaning “registered design/pattern.” A second label, stitched to the inside of an inner pocket on the proper left of the coat states that the garment was “produced under conditions approved by Prosanis Joint Board Sanitary Control” followed by “New York City – March 31 ’26.” <br /><br />This garment likely functioned as a lightweight spring coat, based on its manufacture date, its silk material, and advertisements of similar coats from the same season and decade: spring/summer of the 1920s. Spring coats were commonly considered sportswear; however, they would be worn with various kinds of outfits. They often came in neutral colors, like the beige color of this coat, or in brighter “sporty” colors. The coat would have been worn with the collar folded over to show the decorations on the inside of the coat, and belted, with a loose-fitting, boxy silhouette. <br /><br />The decorations on the hem, cuffs, and inner lapel are inspired by traditional South Asian or Middle Eastern dress, which corresponds to the trends of the 1920s. Including Eastern influences in Western dress had been popular since the 18<sup>th</sup> century. There are large designs of ovals, lines, and curlicues around the hem, on the cuffs, and inside the lapels from the neckline. The decorations are done in couched cording, sewn braid, and double cording; wave patterns used to fill the shapes are made up of soutache braids.<br /><br />The two tags on the coat create an interesting contradiction. The Prosanis label was created by the Label Division of the Joint Board of Sanitary Control of New York’s International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union in association with the National Consumers League. The National Consumers League was founded in 1899, “on the belief that consumers would not purchase products, even products that cost comparably less, if they knew that the goods were produced under exploitative, unsafe or unsanitary working conditions.” States would then create their own branches under the national umbrella. The National Consumers League supported legislation that was introduced to the 68<sup>th</sup> Congress in 1924 collectively titled the “Truth-in-Fabric and Misbranding Bills,” the goal of which was to require that garments have a label that specified content so consumers would know what they were buying; the bills ultimately did not become law.<br /><br />There seems to be no connection between this American committee and Lelong’s Parisian couture house. It is possible that Lelong applied for this label to be sewn into garments he was selling to American customers, as the National Consumers’ League required manufacturers to submit an application for review. In a report from 1911, however, cited in the Work of National Consumers’ League, Volume II, only businesses from a few states were listed and no records suggest that the National Consumers’ League attempted to work internationally. <br /><br />Another possibility is that the coat was inspected upon its import to the United States and that the Joint Board of Sanitary Control either sent someone to inspect Lelong’s couture house or reviewed his financial records remotely in order to provide this label. However, there is also no indication that the National Consumers’ League was involved with imported goods. By 1926, the year the Lelong coat was likely manufactured, Lelong was employing 1,200 staff, which could be of interest to the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union if they had reason to believe these 1,200 workers were not being treated appropriately, but it is more likely they would have brought these concerns to a European organization and not the Joint Board of Sanitary Control in New York City. <br /><br />In addition, there are some details that indicate amateur sewing abilities, less skilled than would be found in a Parisian couture house. The garment has a combination of machine sewn and hand stitched sections. The inner lining and Lucien Lelong label have been attached to the outer shell of the coat with looser hand stitches in comparison to the clean machine sewing along the outer seams and neckline of the coat. There also seem to be no surviving extant garments or sketches of Lelong’s that look similar to the coat in question, leading to the conclusion that the coat may not truly be the work of Lucien Lelong. It seems more likely that the coat was purchased from a United States business which had been approved by the Prosanis Joint Board Sanitary Control and the Lucien Lelong tag was affixed later.<br /><br />This coat is most intriguing for its mystery. It is clearly a fashionable coat, in keeping with the trends of the 1920s, but the contradiction of the two tags is the ambiguity. It creates questions; is this coat a licensed copy of a Lelong original made in the United States, or does the design and label indicate an attempt to sell a pirated copy of a Lelong? Today the idea of faking a designer piece in this way may seem almost silly; when the designer label is on the inside, it cannot be recognized from the outside. The emphasis now is on logos and making them clearly visible to passersby, even covering garments and accessories with an iconic designer brand logo to give the appearance of wealth and sophistication.<br /><br />References<br /><br />“Doing Couture? Why You Might Be Breaking the Law.” <em>Create A Fashion Brand</em>, May 25, 2017. http://www.createafashionbrand.com/doing-couture-why-you-might-be-breaking-the-law/.
<p>Dudbridge, Saxony. “Lucien Lelong Biography.” Web log. <em>Catwalk Yourself</em> (blog). Accessed February 20, 2021. http://www.catwalkyourself.com/fashion-biographies/lucien-lelong/.</p>
<p>Goldmark, Josephine, Francis McLean, James T. Bixby, Alice Lakey, Edith Kendall, Arthur N. Holcombe, Rosamond Kimball, G. Hermann Kinnicutt, and Frederick C. Manvel. "Work of National Consumers' League, Volume II." <em>The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science</em> 38 (1911): 1-77. Accessed March 1, 2021. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1012005.<br /><br />“History.” FHCM. <em>Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode.</em> Accessed February 27, 2021. https://fhcm.paris/en/the-federation/history/.<br /><br />“Lucien Lelong.” Web log. <em>witness2fashion</em> (blog). Wordpress.com, October 14, 2015. https://witness2fashion.wordpress.com/tag/lucien-lelong/.</p>
<p>National Consumers League Papers. The Library of Congress. Accessed February 27, 2021. http://lcweb2.loc.gov:8081/ammem/amrlhtml/dirconsu.html.</p>
<p>“Prosanis.” Vintage Fashion Guild, July 28, 2010. https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/prosanis/.</p>
<p>Sessions, Debbie. “1920s Coats, Furs, Jackets and Capes History.” Web log. <em>Vintage Dancer</em> (blog), September 3, 2013. https://vintagedancer.com/1920s/womens-coats-of-the-1920s/. .</p>
<p>Truth-in-Fabric Legislation. The Library of Congress. Accessed February 27, 2021. http://lcweb2.loc.gov:8081/ammem/amrlhtml/dtfabric.html.</p>
Lucien Lelong label - please see information under the description of the garment. <br /><br />A tag stitched into the lining of the coat labels it as Lucien Lelong, made in Paris, France at 16 Rue Matignon. The tag also has the phrase “Modèle Déposé,” meaning “registered design/pattern.” This acts similarly to a patent, denoting it as being registered with the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne, of which Lelong became president in 1937, and legally allowing the garment to be called couture. The term “Haute Couture” is protected by the French government dating as far back as the 18<sup>th</sup> century and the phrase can only be used by those fashion houses which have been granted the designation by the French Ministry of Industry.
Donor: William Bruce Glass <br />Dennis and Tanya Glass
ca. 1926<br /><br />A tag stitched to the inside of an inner pocket on the proper left of the coat states that the garment was “produced under conditions approved by Prosanis Joint Board Sanitary Control” followed by “New York City – March 31 ’26.” This label means that the manufacturer allowed the Joint Board Sanitary Control New York City to inspect their facility and it was found to provide safe and healthy working conditions. It also allows for more specific dating, as the Joint Board Sanitary Control New York City only used this tag between 1924 and 1929. The date on the bottom of the tag, March 31, 1926, is not likely the exact date the coat was manufactured, but gives a specific season and year, indicating that the coat was created for the spring/summer of 1926.
Cora Staber
The body of the coat is boxy and straight, 43” long from the top of the neckline to the bottom of the hem at the center back, with 20” gores extending from the top edge of the hem decorative loops to 4.5” from the bottom of the sleeve seam. The neckline has braiding along the upper edge, with gathering and four lines of stitching, up to 1.5” below the bottom of the decoration. The coat has raglan sleeves, 24” long from the top of the sleeve inset to the sleeve hem.
URI 2002.14.26
Woman's Three-Piece Ensemble of Coat, Over-Blouse and Slip-Dress, Hattie Carnegie
Clothing and Dress
<p>This ensemble was donated in May 1979 by Mrs. Thyra Jane Foster (née Meyers, 1898-1984), part of a large gift that includes women’s evening dresses and children’s clothing, most from the first half of the 20<sup>th</sup> century. Little documentation exists about the individual items in the donation, so it is not clear that Mrs. Foster originally owned and wore the items.</p>
<p>Mrs. Foster was a lifelong, active Quaker, born in Springville, Iowa on March 12, 1898, and raised in Barnesville, Ohio and Westtown, PA. She attended Mount Holyoke College in Massachusetts from 1917 to 1921 where she majored in chemistry and minored in zoology and physiology. On September 5, 1924 she married Henry Cope Foster and they settled in Ohio, worshipping exclusively with his strict Wilburite family. Eventually they moved to Rhode Island and in 1936 formed the forerunner to the New England Yearly Meeting which involved Quakers of varying beliefs. Mrs. Foster’s parents were the last generation to wear plain dress. Mrs. Foster wrote an article on the history of Quaker dress for the <em>Friends Journal</em>, including an account of how she and her sister-in law researched and made plain dress costumes for special programming at Friends meetings.</p>
<p>Only the jacket has a label identifying Hattie Carnegie, Inc. as the retailer, if not also the designer. The label is poorly sewn on, and the stitching does not appear to be original. It may have been sewn back on because it detached, or it may not be original.</p>
<p>This ensemble is a three-piece set, probably designed as better daywear. It consists of a jacket, over-blouse top, and slip-dress. The ensemble is entirely made from gray-green, lightweight silk crepe. The ¾ length, long-sleeved coat is designed to be worn open, with two ties cut-in-one with the proper left collar. The coat is rectangular in silhouette. Most notably, the fabric for the body and sleeves of the coat is shirred all over, which along with other textural treatments in the over-blouse and slip-dress, create contrast in an otherwise plain outfit.</p>
<p>The over-blouse has a v-neckline, and front and back yokes which are cut-in-one with the split cap sleeves and the back neck ties. Slight gathers at the yokes, small vertical tucks at the belt loops, and a slightly snug self-belt provide minimal shaping. The belt closes at the proper left back with a snap and self-fabric covered button.</p>
<p>The over-blouse and slip-dress each have an approximately 2” deep horizontal tuck, set 7 ½” and 8” from their respective hems. Sewn before the side seams, the tucks do not appear to be an alteration despite the fact that they are not completely harmonious with the rest of the design. The bottom of the blouse and dress are trimmed with a 4” long self-fabric ruffle of extremely fine knife pleats. The slip-dress is a slip with a skirt sewn on using a lapped seam. The slip is cut along the weft instead of along the length of the fabric, the warp, and had to be pieced to make it long enough. Patterning revealed significant shaping in the slip, including two godets at the side seams.</p>
<p>The silk crepe fabric has a thread count of 148 stitches per inch in the warp and 110 stitches per inch in the weft. Both machine and hand stitching were used in the construction of the dress. The machine stitching is generally a straight stitch used in the long seams, basting for gathers, and topstitching. Hand stitching was used for the plain hems, for tacking, attaching and altering, and to sew the lines of shirring on the coat. The body of the coat’s lining is stitched by hand. The seams are finished using an inconsistent mix of whipstitches and pinking.</p>
<p>Hattie Carnegie (1886-1956) established “Hattie Carnegie, Inc.” in New York City after World War I, and in 1919 she took her first buying trip to Paris. She continued to make buying trips multiple times per year through the 1930s. She is noted for purchasing Vionnet’s couture to copy. In the 1920s she was primarily selling imports and adaptations, so it is possible this ensemble has French couture origins. Given that Carnegie could not draw, cut, or sew, one must question how much she deserves the title “designer.” A good design is only as good as those who produce it. It seems more plausible that she simply had good taste and business sense, relying on skilled drapers, cutters, and seamstresses to actually execute the adaptations. As Carnegie’s designs were exclusive to her store until the 1930s, it brings into question how Mrs. Foster acquired the dress, as she was likely still living in Ohio when this dress was made and sold.</p>
<p><em>Women’s Wear Daily</em> and <em>Vogue</em> articles from 1925 to 1928 reveal possible clues to the ensemble’s date and origin. The use of shirring and pleating coincided with many ensembles shown during this time. A 1926 Vogue illustration of a Vionnet ensemble sold by Carnegie shows a nearly identical coat captioned: “[...] and the coat, which is in navy blue, is fashioned entirely of pleats.” Based on description of the changes in women’s fashion in the 1920s, the ensemble studied is dated circa 1925-27. While the coat has the Hattie Carnegie label, it has no other markings indicating the existence of a second label. The quality of the cut is superior as well as creative, but some of the construction is not up to haute couture standards. It is therefore more likely to have been an adaptation, possibly of a Vionnet, rather than a direct Parisian import. The fabric and color give the impression that it was probably from a Spring collection.</p>
<p>Aileen Ribeiro, in <em>Dress and Morality</em>, discusses the cultural responses to women’s dress of the second half of the 1920s. In comparison to those past, the new style as a visual signifier of immorality blurred gender lines, according to conservatives. For many young women, however, it was symbolic of new post-war and post-suffrage freedoms. How did relatively young but conservative women, such as Mrs. Foster (who would have been in her late 20s if and when she wore this dress), balance “[...]the right, if not to be less virtuous than their grandmothers, at any rate to look less virtuous.”? (Cunnington, as quoted in Ribeiro) Perhaps a quote from Mrs. Foster herself, written in 1968 about the transition by Quakers from plain dress to that of the general public, best explains her possible adoption of this new style, “As people became more mobile, they no longer had the time to make the intricate, ground-sweeping, figure-compressing clothes of an earlier time. By 1900, the clothes of the general public were often simpler and more functional than the traditional Quaker garments. Friends were exhorted to live in society, not apart from it, and “to be excited to mend it.”</p>
<p>Twenties fashions are often written off as easily made, simple tubes, and only close examination of the cut and details of this ensemble reveal that its design and construction are both more complex and subtle than a mere tube. Anyone who has attempted to quickly and easily recreate a fashion of the 1920s, and was inevitably disappointed in the results, will surely concur. Twenties fashions are often reduced to the idea of abbreviated and spangled “flapper dresses,” so this ensemble is a lovely example of an average woman’s choice for daywear.</p>
<p>References</p>
<p>Blum, Stella. <em>Everyday Fashions of the Twenties as Pictured in Sears and Other Catalogs</em>. New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1981.</p>
<p>Bramlett, Lizzie. “Carnegie, Hattie.” Label Resource. Vintage Fashion Guild, July 10, 2010. <a href="https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/carnegie-hattie/">https://vintagefashionguild.org/label-resource/carnegie-hattie/</a>.</p>
<p> “Evening Ensemble, 1926-27.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed February 26, 2021. <a href="https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/96082">https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/96082</a>.</p>
<p>C.W. Cunnington, English Women’s Clothing in the Present Century (London: Faber & Faber Ltd., 1952), 200, as quoted in Ribeiro, Dress and Morality, 157.</p>
<p>Fleming, E. McClung. 1974. "Artifact Study: A Proposed Model." Winterthur Portfolio 9: 153-173.</p>
<p>Foster, Georgana. “Maintaining Our Unity.” Friends Journal (August 1993): 5. https://www.friendsjournal.org/wp-content/uploads/emember/downloads/1993/HC12-508 90.pdf.</p>
<p>Foster, Georgana. “Quaker Women I Have Known.” <em>Friends Journal</em>, October 1, 2011. <a href="https://www.friendsjournal.org/3011102/">https://www.friendsjournal.org/3011102/</a>.</p>
<p>Foster, Thyra Jane. “The Quaker Testimony on Dress.” <em>Friends Journal</em> (August 15, 1968): 405-406. <a href="https://www.friendsjournal.org/1968042/">https://www.friendsjournal.org/1968042/</a>.</p>
<p>“Hattie Carnegie.” In <em>Business Leader Profiles for Students</em>, edited by Sheila Dow, 137-8. Detroit: Gale, 1999.</p>
<p>"Hattie Carnegie Sponsors Flared, Lengthened Jumper: Fine Pleatings Prominent, Distinguishing Coats of Sheer Crepe-Emerald Green Exploited-Cape Costume for Day Wear-Lace Frocks for Evening." <em>Women’s Wear</em> 32, no. 12 (Jan 15, 1926): 2, 63.</p>
<p>"Hattie Carnegie Uses Daring Colors in New Ensembles: Flounced Fulness Sponsored in Collection Characteristically Feminine and Tailored-Transparent Fabrics Maintained." <em>Women’s Wear</em> 30, no. 64 (March 18, 1925): 2, 63.</p>
<p>Katie. “A Month of #dresslikeacrayon.” <em>What Katie Sews</em> (blog), February 3, 2019. <a href="http://whatkatiesews.net/a-month-of-dresslikeacrayon/">http://whatkatiesews.net/a-month-of-dresslikeacrayon/</a>.</p>
<p>Laubner, Ellie. <em>Fashions of the Roaring ‘20s</em>. Atglen, PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd., 1996.</p>
<p>Malzahn, Catharine. “Is Monochrome the Hottest Trend Right Now?” <em>CR Fashion Book.</em> Hearst, February 4, 2021, https://www.crfashionbook.com/fashion/a35352074/monochrome-right-nows-hottest-loo k/.</p>
<p>Murgia, Monica D. “Carnegie, Hattie (1880-1956).” In <em>Clothing and Fashion: American Fashion from Head to Toe</em>, Volume 3, edited by José Blanco F. and Heather Vaughan Lee, 66-7. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2016.</p>
<p>Ribeiro, Aileen. <em>Dress and Morality</em>. London: Batsford, 1986.</p>
<p>“Series 1a: Henry and Thyra Jane Foster Papers, 1904-1988.” <em>TriCollege Libraries Archives and Manuscripts</em>. Accessed February 28, 2021, <a href="http://triarchive.brynmawr.edu/repositories/7/archival_objects/202530">http://triarchive.brynmawr.edu/repositories/7/archival_objects/202530</a>.</p>
<p>"Silks: Week's Silk Fashion Highlights." Women’s Wear 32, no. 67 (March 22, 1926): 14. “Thyra Jane Foster Papers.” Mount Holyoke College Archives and Special Collections. Accessed February 24, 2021. <a href="https://aspace.fivecolleges.edu/repositories/2/resources/299">https://aspace.fivecolleges.edu/repositories/2/resources/299</a>.</p>
Hattie Carnegie, Inc. label
Donor: Thyra Jane Meyers Foster
ca. 1920 - 1930
Alyssa C. Opishinski
URI 1979.04.49
Woman's Fortuny Scarf
Accessories
<p>Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) is a well known Spanish-born artist who built his career in Venice beginning in 1906, finding great popularity during the 1920s and '30s. A Fortuny shop opened in New York City at 509 Madison Avenue in 1928, after interior designer Elsie McNeill Lee persuaded Fortuny that she should be the exclusive American distributor of his garments and dresses. His legacy continues with a fashion house that produces the quality velvet goods and silks Fortuny was notorious for using. His best-known look is the Delphos dress, a gown of finely pleated silk that was inspired by classicism and the Renaissance.<br /><br />The scarf has three major components: the fashion fabric is on the outer side, with a lining or the inner side, and tassels. The outer side, visible when the scarf is worn, is a velvet. This is arguably the most impressive piece of the scarf, as Fortuny was known for his velvets. The base weave is a lime green color while the velvet pile is a deep, navy blue. These contrasting colors give an illusion of shimmering material when the scarf is folded, as the green peeks through the blue pile to give a streak of vibrant color When laying flat, it would require a close inspection to see the green lying beneath the surface. It is striking to see the color-changing effect when the fabric is gently folded or draped, and it is easily imagined around a woman’s arms as she moves.<br /><br />Another feature of the scarf is the pattern printed onto the velvet. The large, repeating filigree pattern was stencilled onto the velvet; these sections have a stiff and slightly crusty texture. The color of the pattern shows as a slightly lighter blue than the pile.<br /><br />The lining, the side that would rest against the body of the wearer, is an intense chartreuse green color. The material itself is a satin weave of what is probably silk. Taking a fiber analysis sample would have damaged the garment, so it is more favorable to assume that it is silk that gives the scarf lining its soft texture.</p>
<p>The third set of components are three beaded tassels, one at every corner of the scarf. The tassels themselves are made from a braided cord the same shade of green as the lining. More delicate and decorative strands of thread are wrapped and woven into the tassel pattern in addition to the cord. However, the beads are the main attraction. Two golden beads, possibly enamel or glass, frame a Murano glass wedding cake bead that sits between each fabric corner and tassel. These beads have colorful spots and lines possibly made from copper infusions.<br /><br />This scarf functions primarily as an aesthetic accessory as well as a functional one. While it would be useful in the late spring and early fall as a shield against the chill of the night, as a means of keeping out the cold it falls short when compared with shawls made of other materials. It is certainly more wearable due to the look of it as a fun piece to add to an ensemble.<br /><br />While the early 20th century was riddled with war and revelry, it is the latter that led to the creation of this Fortuny scarf. The 1920s marked the end of the neccesity to live frugally during and immediately after WWI. With the Great War over, Europe celebrated by enjoying life in excess.</p>
<p>This scarf displayed the wealth of its owner through the designer's name and quality of material used. Additionally, the scarf acted as a status symbol, also because of the designer, as Fortuny was well known and his work was admired. This piece was meant to be shown off and lovingly gawked at by onlookers who knew not only the importance of the materials, but the importance of following trends as well.</p>
<p>In a contemporary setting, this scarf offers a peek into the past-lived lifestyle of the 1920s. It is an insight to the materials, colors, and styles that were popular during that time. It is easy to imagine the effect this scarf would have on a woman; how it might make her feel glamorous. This is an effect that is still desirable today, and it is interesting to think about what modern accessories evoke that exquisite sense of glamor today. Even more interesting, is how this nearly century-old scarf still invokes an air of elegance in a contemporary audience.<br /><br />References<br /><br />Bailey Saxl, C. (2012, January 13). <em>"Wedding Cakes": Venetian Fiorato Beads</em>. Jewel Stories. <br />http://jewel-stories.blogspot.com/2012/01/wedding-cakes-venetian-fiorato-beads.html.</p>
<p>Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. <em>Mariano Fortuny</em>. Encyclopædia Britannica. <span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography">https://www.britannica.com/biography </a></span>/Mariano-Fortuny-Spanish-Italian-multimedia-artist-1871-1949.</p>
<p><em>Gallery of 1920s Vintage Clothing</em>. Gallery of 1920s vintage clothing at Vintage Textile. https://www.vintagetextile.com/gallery_1920s.htm.</p>
<p><em>History</em>. Fortuny. (2020, November 30) https://fortuny.com/history/.</p>
Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949)<br />unlabeled
Donor: Judy Webb
ca. 1928-1935
Paige Bailey
The scarf is a triangle. The long side measures at 64 inches (165 cm), and the two shorter edges to 42 inches (106.6 cm). The length down the middle of the scarf is 30.2 inches (76.6 cm). Construction-wise, the scarf is very simple. It appears that it was machine sewn wrong sides together before being slipped right-side out and slip stitched closed. The tassels (4.5 inches in length, 11.4 cm) appear to have been added when the scarf was still inside out as their incorporation is seamlessly sandwiched between the two layers. Both the velvet and the silk were cut on the bias.
URI 2018.12.01
Woman's Tabard Dress
Clothing and Dress
The object in question is identified in curatorial records as a “dress of blue silk velvet” purchased by the donor in 1926 or 1927. It was likely made the same year by a yet-undetermined designer, from “an exclusive NewYork [City] dress shop”. It features silver stenciled patterning on the sleeve edges, along the hem and neckline, and down the sides of the garment. Materials originally included grey silk chiffon and black satin cords on the side. Due to aging the velvet is no longer blue, but closer to a shade of green, and the grey silk chiffon in the sides and underarms of the dress has yellowed to a shade of brown. The donor states that she wore this dress with a silver belt.<br /><br />The dress does not appear to have been altered aside from the adjustment of the back closure snaps, likely moved to their current location to protect the fabric from additional wear and loss. Some conservation has been done to the object; primarily to the portions of chiffon at the hem of the dress to support the hem and keep the dress from gaping at the bottom. Aside from the discoloration and the damage to the chiffon at the hemline the garment’s condition can be described overall as very good.<br /><br />The gown is best described as a sleeved tabard dress; a dress with what appears to be a light chiffon underdress covered with a blue, now green, velvet overdress. The silver floral motif printed on the velvet of the gown is reminiscent of the art nouveau and the arts and crafts movements. Similar dresses in this style also could lace up the sides in a crisscross pattern or feature glass beads on the tie cords at the sides.<br /><br />Tabard dresses of the 1920s tended to be embellished with either beading or prints and worn during the evenings to various formal occasions. This dress has a long skirt, full sleeves, high set square neckline, and is of an older, though still fashionable, aesthetic. There is also the possibility that this was a gown designed to be worn in cooler weather such as in the fall or spring.<br /><br />Despite the thrill of potentially being able to work on an object designed by Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) or Maria Monaci Gallenga (1880-1944), it is, as of yet, difficult to say if this garment is truly a work of either house. A Fortuny shop was known to have opened in 1928 on Madison Avenue. This date, combined with the fact that there are neither makers marks nor traces of makers marks leads me to believe that this is not a dress sold by any currently well-known designer.<br /><br />Additionally, the quality is not what one would expect when looking at similar designer garments. First, the print is unusual when compared to other similar extant items. The image is in the negative, and the fabric is printed along the edges rather than on the central portions. Similar styles of gown produced by Fortuny and Gallenga and found at auction houses and in museums all are prints that focus on the positive image rather than the negative space. Here the print is also rather muddy to look at. This could be caused by the way the silver pigment has aged over time, but the print has clearly visible striations in it as well as uneven jagged edges. These marks could be due to the way the fabric was printed at the time, as screen printing and rotary printing were technically feasible in the mid to late ‘20s. Finally, the quality of construction is uneven. Some portions are machine sewn, but the hand sewn portions are much less tidy and more uneven.<br /><br />Though the gown might not be a Fortuny there are other possibilities for the gown to be of a high fashion nature. Upscale department stores such as Bergdorf Goodman or Henri Bendel were easy to find on 5th Ave. The Stern Brothers department store on 42nd West had departments called “new-tiquity” and “young couture” that could have sold the gown to Mrs. Jordan in 1926. More research needs to be done to better understand the items offered by these stores. Surviving records from the time may provide the names of brands and designers offered to the clientele.<br /><br />Outside of the well-known luxury department stores there were small shops like the “Else Fricke Art Studio” on 42nd Street, which specialized in printed and painted textiles. More research needs to be done into the small shops in New York which may have produced this dress. <br /><br />References<br /><br />1925 Mariano FORTUNY Couture Gold Metallic STENCILED SILK-VELVET Tabard Gown. (n.d.). <br />Retrieved from https://www.1stdibs.com/fashion/clothing/day-dresses/1925-marianofortuny-couture-gold-metallic-stenciled-silk-velvet-tabard-gown/id-v_80395/<br /><br />Augusta Auctions. (2015). Past Sales: FORTUNY STENCILLED VELVET GOWN, 1920s. Retrieved <br />from https://augusta-auction.com/search-pastsales?view=lot&id=15209&auction_file_id=33<br />Bak. (2011). <br /><br />Stern brothers, New York City, New York. Retrieved March 01, 2021, from <br />http://www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org/2010/07/stern-brothers-new-york-citynew-york.html<br /><br />Bergdorf Goodman top navigation. (n.d.). Retrieved from <br />https://www.bergdorfgoodman.com/stores/bergdorf-goodman-womens-store<br /><br />A FULL LENGTH VELVET 'TABARD' GOWN AND A PAIR OF MATCHING SHOES. (2011). Retrieved <br />from https://www.christies.com/lot/lot-5519721/?intObjectID=5519721<br /><br />Lot 311 - a black and gold brocaded satin medieval. (2015). Retrieved from <br />https://www.kerrytaylorauctions.com/auction/lot/lot-311---a-black-and-gold-brocadedsatin medieval/?lot=8242&so=0&st=tabard&sto=0&au=27&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=2&pp=48&p<br />n=1&g=1#<br /><br />Lot 45 - a maria gallenga gothic-stenciled tabard. (2015). Retrieved from <br />https://www.kerrytaylorauctions.com/auction/lot/lot-45---a-maria-gallenga-gothicstencilledtabard/?lot=6651&so=0&st=tabard&sto=0&au=23&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=2&pp=48&pn=<br />1&g=1<br /><br />A Mariano Fortuny stenciled VELVET Tabard DRESS, circa 1920. (2020). Retrieved from <br />https://www.kerrytaylorauctions.com/auction/lot/66-a-mariano-fortuny-stencilledvelvet-tabard-dress-circa-1920/?lot=27783&sd=1#<br /><br />New York Showroom. (2020, June 18). Retrieved from https://fortuny.com/new-york/<br /><br />R.L. Polk & Co. (1925). R.L. Polk & CO.'S (Trow's) general directory of New York CITY embracing <br />the boroughs of Manhattan and the Bronx. Retrieved from <br />https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/b85b8f00-e21d-0137-4f33-41708d90aae8<br /><br />A VELVET 'TABARD' GOWN AND COVER. (2011). Retrieved from <br />https://www.christies.com/en/lot/lot-5519723<br /><br />Victoria and Albert Museum. (2009). [Mariano Fortuny hanging tabard dress (T.287-1978)]. <br />Retrieved from https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O366073/dress-fortunymariano/dress-mariano-fortuny
Donor: Charlotte Jordan
ca. 1926/27
Eli Bejin
URI 1962.05.01
Woman's Fortuny Lounge or Evening Jacket
Clothing and Dress
<p>Combining history, anthropology, and art, Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949) is revered as a maestro of creating dyed and patterned fabrics. His aspirations and inspirations came to him young; Mariano Fortuny was born into a renowned family of artists in Grenada, Spain, according to the history timeline on the Fortuny Foundation website. Fortuny’s move to the Italian city of Venice accounts for much of his famed work. Fascinated by different cultures of art, history, and romance, Fortuny sampled various techniques when creating his fabrics and garments. Incorporating Italian influence, Mariano Fortuny used handcrafted Murano glass beads from Venice, and created textile patterns with motifs that reflected his studies in the city's art museums. Venice, as an important center to the Renaissance textile trade with the Orient, (Carrara 2021) allowed him to draw upon Greek, Japanese, and Southeastern Asian methods for the handcrafting of each individual fabric and garment. His ideas also came from a rich source of ancient Persian and Islamic cultures (Vintage Textile n.d.). Typically, Fortuny would synthesize different elements from numerous cultural inspirations, tying them all together.<br /><br />This jacket serves the function of both aesthetically pleasing quality of design, as well as comfort. The seams are slip-stitched, and hand sewn, as exemplified by the expertly concealed stitches in the folded edges of the jacket. Constructed from only three pieces (one back and two side fronts), with seams across each shoulder, under the arms, and down each side, the jacket has ample room for active movement. Made of silk velvet and lined with silk faille, the jacket could be worn in cooler temperatures as it has a heavy drape. Whether worn indoors or out, this jacket embodies all the qualities of Fortuny’s early twentieth-century luxurious designs. <br /><br />Mariano Fortuny’s methods of hand stenciling and hand dyeing ensured that no two garments were alike, as they varied slightly in the artistic techniques employed to make them. The pattern on this jacket is hand stenciled with layers of subtly interchanging silver or gray pigment paint, reproducing the Renaissance fresco effect that Fortuny was so fond of, not only on the central area of the garment, but also along the edges. According to <em>Vintage Textile</em> (n.d.), Fortuny was obsessed with the art of color application and its intricate subtlety. His works became known as masterpieces, due to his self-taught expertise in the manufacturing, mixing, and application of naturally sourced textile dyes (<em>Vintage Textile</em> n.d.). His methods were to piece-dye cut lengths, frequently layering both natural and (later on) aniline dyes – and to even incorporating agents to resist previously applied colors – which resulted in the random, transparent irregularity depicted in this jacket (Carrara 2021). Carrara also notes that Mariano Fortuny combined metal powder with pigments that simulated the shimmering metallic thread commonly used in sixteenth-century velvets. <br /><br />This silk velvet jacket was most likely intended for evening wear and public events. Mariano Fortuny specialized in these handcrafted garments that had a flare for opulence and lavishness, exemplified through the expensive techniques and fabrics used to make such garments. The combination of Delphos dress covered by a velvet jacket was initially popular for tea gowns.</p>
<p>Although most of his designs were sold, commissioned, and displayed in his Venice atelier, Fortuny did branch out to other avenues of sales. He first allowed collections of his gowns, fabrics, and accessories to be sold in an upscale Paris boutique operated by Paul Poiret (Carrara 2021). This collaboration would have also been around the same time as Poiret’s greatest success, also pre-World War I. Poiret’s driving influence of Orientalism in all his designs closely mirrors some of Fortuny’s main inspirations as well – which most likely led to Poiret’s willingness to manage a boutique with Fortuny’s creations. Carrara (2021) also mentions that closely after this association began, Fortuny started to sell his designs in the Liberty of London store, as well as other shops in London, Paris, and eventually New York. These retailers catered to upper-class society; it is likely that his New York store is where this URI collection velvet jacket was originally purchased.<br /><br />To this day, the company of Fortuny sells a contemporary collection of original patterned and colored textiles. Fortuny’s balance of fusing both art and science produced a successful legacy that continues to live on. </p>
<p>References<br /><br />Augusta Auctions. 2019. "Fortuny Stenciled Evening Coat, Italy, 1920s." <em>Augusta Auctions.</em> New York City, November 13. https://augusta-auction.com/search-past-sales?view=lot&id=19935&auction_file_id=60.</p>
<p>Carrara, Gillion. 2021. "Fortuny, Mariano." <em>Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion.</em> February 17. https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/literature-and-arts/european-art-1600-present-biographies/mariano-fortuny.</p>
<p>Fortuny. n.d. "History." <em>Fortuny.</em> Accessed February 28, 2021. https://fortuny.com/history/.</p>
<p>n.d. "Fortuny Stenciled Velvet Jacket, c. 1930." <em>Vintage Textile.</em> Accessed February 28, 2021. https://www.vintagetextile.com/new_page_98.htm.</p>
<p>National Gallery of Australia. 1983. "Mariano Fortuny." <em>National Gallery of Australia.</em> https://cs.nga.gov.au/detail.cfm?img=90183_A&irn=90183&vid=2.</p>
Mariano Fortuny (1871-1949), <br />label "Mariano Fortuny, Venise" at the back of the neck
Donor: Olga P. Brucher <br />Ms. Brucher was Dean of the College of Home Economics
ca. 1920 - 1930
Shelby Kanski
The silk velvet jacket has a circumference of 62 inches (157.4 cm) and is 30 inches (76.2 cm) long from shoulder to hem. Furthermore, the sleeves have a width of 10 inches (25.4 cm) and a total circumference of 20 inches (50.8 cm)
URI 1954.58.02