i64605 |
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Object Description
| Basic ID | Sheath dress, 1955. Silk faille, cashmere. Charles James, U.S.A. worn by donor, Mrs. Howard Linn née Lucy McCormick Blair. 1967.11 |
| Title | Gothic |
| Other Title | Dress |
| Artists/Makers |
James, Charles, 1906-1978 (designer) Charles James Manufacturers Company (manufacturer) |
| Place of Origin | United States |
| Date | 1955 |
| Physical Description | Dress of black silk faille and cashmere. Faille bodice has scoop neck with bow at center front; high waist; cashmere sheath torso and skirt. |
| Materials/Techniques |
silk (fiber) faille cashmere (wool) |
| Object History | This dress was made by one of James's numerous business enterprises, Charles James Manufacturers Company, which lasted from 1955 to 1958. Lord and Taylor used the garment in advertisements in the New York Times in 1956, and Harper's Bazaar featured an orange version said to have been designed for the American Rayon Institute. Visible alterations on the hem of the skirt indicate that the original length was shortened. |
| Curatorial Statement | Although James created numerous designs for the ready-to-wear market, a closer inspection of this dress presents some clues as to why his contracts often failed. The pattern pieces are cut in a way that creates a lot of extra, unusable material. Typically, patterns for mass-produced garments are tweaked to create the least amount of waste, but James was often unwilling to alter his designs to meet others' budget. |
| Classification | costume (mode of fashion) |
| Categories |
clothing main garments |
| Object Types |
dresses (garments) sheath dresses |
| Related Persons | Linn, Lucy Blair, 1886-1978 |
| Credit Line | Gift of Mrs. Howard Linn |
| Owner | Chicago Historical Society |
| Copyright Notice | © Chicago Historical Society, published on or before 2017, all rights reserved. |
| Exhibition History | Charles James : Genius Deconstructed. Chicago History Museum (2011/10/22 - 2012/04/16) |
| Object Number | 1967.11 |
| Image File Name | ICHi-64605; ICHi-64606; ICHi-64626; ICHi-64625; ICHi-64623; ICHi-64624; |
| Language | English |
| Repository | Chicago History Museum. 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois 60614-6038 |
| Collection Name | Museum Collection |
| Research Inquiry | http://libguides.chicagohistory.org/research |
| Licensing Inquiry | Visit https://images.chicagohistory.org or email rightsrepro@chicagohistory.org |
Description
| Title | i64605 |
| Copyright Notice | © Chicago Historical Society, published on or before 2017, all rights reserved. |
| Repository | Chicago History Museum. 1601 North Clark Street Chicago, Illinois 60614-6038 |
| Collection Name | Museum Collection |
