Worth, Charles Frédérick, 1825-1895 (designer); Worth and Bobergh (designer)
1861
Although married in Chicago in 1858, it was not until 1874 that the McCormick family constructed a permanent Chicago residence. They had homes in both New York and Washington and traveled abroad extensively, particularly to European expositions at...
Anita Carolyn Blair wore this dress to the debut of Gladys High in Chicago, a bold and possibly scandalous choice that would have upstaged the young woman hosting the party.
Carrie Lannon wore this dress in 1998 to the Fashion Group International's 13th annual gala at Chicago's Four Season's Hotel. Lannon co-chaired the event, which honored the Ferragamo family for their excellence in fashion and accessory design. To...
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...
Designed initially in black silk chiffon and tulle, this gown became James's most executed custom order. Vogue featured the garment in 1951. James's wife, Nancy, wore it in the mid 1950s and he created at least one version with a cocktail-length...
Yves Saint Laurent (Firm) (designer); Marshall Field & Company (distributor)
1966
Donor Genevieve W. Urbain served as Vice President and Fashion Director of Marshall Field & Co. The dress was a signature piece for the launching of Yves Saint Laurent's nautical look and was the most publicized garment of all the collection. Ms....
During a visit to the Museum in 1974, James noted that this dress was originally created for Marjorie Merriweather Post. A review of the interior shows numerous alterations, including a large reduction in the overall size of the torso and hips. ...
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...
James created his first Tree gown in 1955; this version followed two years later. He stated that the design used "faille stretched like a ruched membrane over a stiffened shell molded NOT to the figure of the client, but to the shape I wished it...
James designed this dress for New Yorker Millicent Rogers in 1949. Two year later the design appeared in Vogue magazine, when it was photographed by Horst and included in James's "black and white" collection. James described the dress as a...
James launched this mermaid-like gown early in his career and created several versions of it over a period of twenty years. The name of the dress, La Sirène, refers to sea creatures in Greek mythology who used their enchanting voices to lure...
