i64682 |
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Object Description
| Basic ID | Evening dress, 1934. Silk boucl crepe. Charles James, U.S.A. Worn by donor Mrs. Walter S. Carr neé Mary Conway Adams. 1960.435 |
| Artists/Makers | James, Charles, 1906-1978 (designer) |
| Title | Dress |
| Place of Origin | United States |
| Date | 1934 |
| Description | Dress of dark blue wool boucle crepe. Asymmetrical diagonal neckline; sleeveless; floor length. Formed from a spirally-wrapped pattern piece. |
| Materials/Techniques |
wool (hair) weft loop weave |
| Object History | In 1934, as James's reputation as a dressmaker was growing, his mother arranged for a showing of his collection at Marshall Field and Company, Chicago's socialites "came to see their insouciant young friend, whose hats were thought clever but whose dresses were another thing" wrote Elizabeth Ann Coleman. James recalled it as "the biggest success I really ever had" an unsurprising sentiment considering the value he placed on the public presentation of his work. His notes state that he created this garment, a version of a 1931 design, for the Field's event. In the early 1930s, James favored a specific type of cut, which he used in the evening dress. He referred to the cut as the Taxi, claiming it allowed his clients to look good during any activity -- even getting in and out of a taxi. Worn by donor Mrs. Walter S. Carr neé Mary Conway Adams. |
| Curatorial Statement | Fabric, like wood, has a grain. Most pattern pieces are cut either on the straight grain or cross grain, often called bias. James was obsessed with the cut and grain of fabric. Experimenting early in his career he developed "Z-cut" draping. Using this technique, James manipulated two large pieces of fabric into shapely, elegant gown. By slashing into the material and spreading it open, James inserted the front pattern piece into the back. |
| Subjects | Carr, Walter S., Mrs. |
| Object Types |
dresses (garments) evening dresses (garments) |
| Classification | costume (mode of fashion) |
| Categories |
clothing main garments evening dress (concept) |
| Credit Line | Gift of Mrs. Walter S. Carr |
| Owner | Chicago Historical Society |
| Exhibition History | Charles James: Genius Deconstructed. Chicago History Museum (2011/10/22 - 2012/04/16) |
| Object Number | 1960.435 |
| Image File Name | i64682.jpg |
| Rights | All rights reserved. Contact Chicago History Museum, Rights & Reproductions (rightsrepro@chicagohistory.org) for use. |
| Collection Name | Costume and Textile Collection |
| Repository | Chicago History Museum. 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois 60614-6038 |
Additional Information
| Basic ID | Evening dress, 1934. Silk boucl crepe. Charles James, U.S.A. Worn by donor Mrs. Walter S. Carr neé Mary Conway Adams. 1960.435 |
| Title | i64682 |
| Image File Name | i64682.jpg |
| Rights | All rights reserved. Contact Chicago History Museum, Rights & Reproductions (rightsrepro@chicagohistory.org) for use. |
| Collection Name | Costume and Textile Collection |
| Repository | Chicago History Museum |
