Green dress with silver details and attached necklace designed by Peter Davy

Object Details

Designed by

Peter Davy, Saint Vincentian, 1944 - 1990

Subject of

Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007

Description

A green dress with silver beading, sequin, and rhinestone detailing designed by Peter Davy. The dress is made from a green under layer of synthetic or silk and synthetic blend material overlaid in iridescent green semi-sheer fabric. It is cut with a fitted bodice, waist, and skirt with a slit on the proper left side of the skirt and the hemline curving up toward the slit. The front of the bodice is a deep V-neck, while the back has a high standing collar. The full-length gigot sleeves have large poufs at the shoulders made from the same under layer and over layer fabrics as the dress, while the tight-fitting portions of the sleeves, beginning just above the elbow, are made from an under layer of the iridescent green fabric and an over layer of synthetic green net having silver metallic woven lace in a scrolling leaf design. Pieces of the green and silver lace are placed at the standing collar, the front bodice, and along the hemline. Heavy embellishments in silver beads, sequins, and rhinestones are applied at the collar, front bodice, and hemline by hand. Silver rhinestones decorate the tight lace portions of the sleeves. Three (3) strands of silver rhinestone beads and white seed beads are sewn across the front neck, attaching at the sides of the standing collar, to form an attached necklace at the center front. The dress closes at the center back with a green plastic zipper.

The interior of the dress is not lined as the green under layer serves as a lining fabric. A heavier weight green fabric lines the interior collar to provide support for the standing collar. Thick shoulder pads are sewn into a case made from the green under layer material and attached to the pouf portions of each sleeve. A white fabric label with black printed text is sewn at the interior proper right back neck that reads, "An Original / by / Peter Davy" with three (3) black diamonds down the proper left side of the label.

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

1985-1990

Object number

2007.3.94

Restrictions & Rights

No Known Copyright Restrictions

Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

Type

dresses

Medium

synthetic fiber, silk, sequins, rhinestones, and glass beads, with metal and plastic zipper

Dimensions

H x W x D (flat): 55 1/2 × 27 1/2 × 4 1/2 in. (141 × 69.9 × 11.4 cm)

H x W x D (on form): 56 1/2 × 23 7/8 × 12 1/2 in. (143.5 × 60.6 × 31.8 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 and Historical

National Museum of African American History and Culture

Topic

African American

Clothing and dress

Design

Fashion

Fashion design

Record ID

nmaahc_2007.3.94

Metadata Usage (text)

CC0

GUID (Link to Original Record)

http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54d1536bd-78f9-4b40-91fb-6e8500c7af8e