Dress designed by Ann Lowe

Object Details

Designed by

Ann Lowe, American, 1898 - 1981

Subject of

Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007

Description

A sleeveless black cocktail dress with handmade pink floral decorations designed by Ann Lowe. The bodice is made of black chiffon, and has a scoop neck and princess seams.

The neckline is trimmed with a decorative vine of green satin leaves and pink satin rose buds, completed with a full-blown pink satin rose at the center front bust. The skirt consists of an underskirt of black taffeta lined with black net, covered by a tightly-pleated overskirt of black chiffon that gives the skirt fullness and movement. A green satin cummerbund waistband is accented with a pink satin and organza handmade rose in full bloom that is basted to the proper left front hip. The dress closes in the back with a zipper running from the top of the center back bodice to below the waist.

The interior of the bodice is lined with black taffeta fabric. In the front and back of the bodice, boning is sewn at regular intervals to provide structure and shaping. Individual breast cups are shaped into the cut of the garment. A thin piece of elastic, attached in three places at the proper left, center front and proper right, provides support underneath the bust line. A wider elastic band is tacked at the center front and closes in the center back with two hook-and-eyes to provide further bust support. An interior waistband of black grosgrain ribbon is tacked to the interior waistline and closes at the center back. The black taffeta underskirt serves as the petticoat. It attaches to the waist at the center back with a hook-and-eye and a metal snap. There is no label in the dress.

Credit Line

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane

ca. 1960

Object number

2007.3.22

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Type

dresses

Medium

silk, chiffon, taffeta, net, metal, and elastic

Dimensions

H x W x D (On form): 42 1/2 × 24 × 16 1/2 in. (108 × 61 × 41.9 cm)

Waist: 24 in. (61 cm)

Place made

New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

See more items in

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Collection title

Black Fashion Museum Collection

Classification

Clothing-Fashion

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Clothing and dress

Design

Fashion

Fashion design

Social life and customs

Women

Record ID

nmaahc_2007.3.22

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5a539d68e-5d7f-4fb8-bad4-5eacbc8cf89c