James, Charles, 1906-1978 (designer); Marshall Field & Company (distributor)
1954
Charles James originally designed the Butterfly ball gown for Mrs. William Randolph Hearst Jr., for the price of $1,250. The sculptural design lives up to a comment once made by Spanish couturier Cristbal Balenciaga, "Charles James is not only the...
Worn by Mamie Buffenstein on occasion of her marriage to William Nathan (born in Germany, 1882, died in Chicago October 1954) on June 3, 1924 in her parent's home at 1310 S. Lawndale Avenue, Chicago.
Florence Hooker Cheney (died circa 1905) wore this dress when she married William Cheney Jr. on September 11, 1901. Worn with bright pink satin corset (1984.503.17) and possibly also bright pink garters (1984.503.18).
Hanchen Strauss and Gardner H. Stern (b. ca. 1904), both native Chicagoans, were married on February 12, 1927. The dress was purchased from Blum's Vogue in Chicago.
Worn by Mrs. Angelo Richard Arena, née Alice Paluzuelos, to the opening of the Marshall Field & Co. store in Houston, Texas in November, 1980; to the opening of the Lyric Opera in September, 1981; to dinner honoring Princess Margaret at the Casino...