Designed by
Davy, Peter, Saint Vincentian, 1944 - 1990
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Date
1980s
Medium
velvet, organza, sequins, and beads, with metal and plastic fasteners
Dimensions
H x W x D (flat): 56 1/2 × 22 × 1 1/2 in. (143.5 × 55.9 × 3.8 cm)
Description
A black velvet floor-length dress with pink ruffled and beaded decorations designed by Peter Davy. The dress is fitted through the waist and hips, with a straight sheath skirt that has a long slit at the center back. The bodice has a sweetheart neckline with thin straps. The straps and the front and back neckline edges are trimmed ins silver cord, pink bead, and silver sequin embellished trim. The left bust is covered in heavy beading and sequins in pink with small clusters of silver. A small rosette made from a layer of pale pink over a larger layer of darker pink pleated organza is sewn at the proper left waist with a cluster of pink beads and sequins in the middle of the rosette. An oversized rosette using the same pale pink over darker pink pleated organza is sewn with the center of the rosette at the proper right side just above the waist, so that the rosette is centered at the proper right side, extending over the front and back bodice. A large cluster of heavy beading and sequins in pink and silver is placed at the center of this rosette. The dress closes at the center back with a black metal and plastic zipper. One (1) metal snap is used to fasten part of the dark pink large rosette across the zipper opening on the proper left back side waist.
The dress is fully lined in black synthetic fabric. Boning is sewn between the facing and the lining around the bodice, six (6) pieces total. There are no labels in the dress.
Place made
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Collection title
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Classification
Clothing - Fashion and Historical
Type
dresses
Topic
Clothing and dress
Design
Fashion
Fashion design
Credit Line
Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
Object number
2007.3.109
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5d510ff9f-2f88-41d2-bf74-05ee5a0c3f15

Cataloging is an ongoing process and we may update this record as we conduct additional research and review. If you have more information about this object, please contact us at NMAAHCDigiTeam@si.edu

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