Worn by Mrs. A. F. Ratray Grieg at Mrs. Potter Palmer's reception for the opening of her house on Lake Shore Drive. Mrs. Grieg was the daughter of David Rattray and Euretta Stuart who came to Illinois from New York in a covered wagon around 1837. ...
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 Mrs. Robert E. Carroll (née Harriet Bermingham, b. June 3, 1922 in Chicago; m. Sept. 27, 1950; d. Dec. 21, 1967). Mrs. Carroll purchased the dress in 1950 in New York City for her trousseau. The dress was initially sold twisted into a...
Cánovas del Castillo, Antonio, 1908-1984 (designer); Elizabeth Arden, Inc. (designer)
1950
Worn by donor, née Katherine Woodruff, at her marriage to Marshall Field, Jr. The dress was designed by Antonio Cánova del Castillo who opened the Haute Couture Department of the Elizabeth Arden Salon in New York in 1945.
Halston, 1932-1990 (designer); I. Magnin & Co. (distributor)
circa 1976
Worn by donor, née Lynne Walker (born 1928, married July 19, 1969 to Leo Durocher). Worn with silver sandals, diamond and pearl jewelry, and fur wrap to the Chicago Lyric Opera opening in 1976 and the Big Brothers Charity Ball at the Casino Club,...
Dior, Christian (designer); Marshall Field & Company (distributor)
1948
This gown is from the first Dior New York Collection designed by Christian Dior. It should be belted very tightly at the waist with a rust colored belt. Worn by donor, Mrs. William Englehaupt (Dorothy Fuller). Dorothy Fuller's name is synonymous...
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...
Dior, Christian (designer); Christian Dior, Inc. (designer)
1947
Ballerina Maria Tallchief donated this dress, the Museum's only piece from Dior's historic first collection. Tallchief was prima ballerina of the New York City Ballet for eighteen years and later became the artistic director of Chicago's Lyric...
James, Charles, 1906-1978 (designer); Samuel Winston Inc. (manufacturer)
1951
This dress was initially designed as a ready-to-wear dress for production by Samuel Winston. The precisely placed seams allowed the garment to be tailored to the exact measurements of its wearer. Only one other version is known to still exist: ...
Tappé, Herman Patrick, 1876-1954 (designer); Tappé Herman, Inc. (designer)
1938
Worn by Mrs. Robert F. Carr, Jr. (neé Vesta Culbertson) to her first wedding on January 15, 1938. Since divorced, she is now Mrs. Charles H. Morse, Jr.
Rodgers, Shannon, 1911-1996 (designer); Jerry Silverman (distributor); Adolfo Inc. (creator)
1969
Worn by donor, née Lawrie Bowes, on February 1, 1969 to her wedding with Edward Reilly Weed. The wedding took place at Quigley Seminary Chapel, Chicago and the reception at the Woman's Athletic Club, Chicago. The dress was designed for donor as a...
