Dress
Brand
Hattie Carnegie
Designer
Norell
(1900 - 1972)
Designer
Hattie Carnegie
(1889 - 1956)
1939
Cotton and sequins
Gift of Mrs. Ephraim London, Mrs. Rowland Mindlin & Mrs. Walter Eytan In Memory of Mrs. M. Lincoln Schuster
Object number78.134.23
A favored fabric in the United States for centuries, “humble” cotton gingham became especially popular during World War II. Norman Norell was one of many Americans who made garments, such as this hostess gown, out of this crisp, simple plaid. Gingham expressed patriotism as it evoked our history, from the colonial era to the push westward (however romantic and revisionist that history may have been.) Yet even with strong connections to the past, Norell’s design is thoroughly modern and appropriately chic.
DescriptionLong dinner dress in teal green / blue and yellow cotton gingham, with illusion of bolero created by engineered placement of sequins; high shawl collar on deep square neck, short raglan sleeves; fitted bodice, fit-and-flare skirt; matching self covered buckle belt and elbow length glovesCollections
Exhibitions