Worn as part of wedding ensemble by the donor's mother (née Florence Sanger Pullman, b. 8/11/1868, d. 6/5/1937) on April 29, 1896 on the occasion of her marriage to Frank Orren Lowden (b. 1/26/1896, d. 3/20/1943). In addition to this outer bodice,...
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...
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. ...
