Designed by
Lowe, Ann, American, 1898 - 1981
Worn by
Cammann, Nora Francke, American, 1932 - 2014
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Date
1950
Medium
silk taffeta, silk faille, and metal fasteners
Dimensions
H x W (flat): 56 1/2 × 25 in. (143.5 × 63.5 cm)
Description
Pale yellow and chartreuse silk taffeta gown designed by Ann Lowe. The dress is strapless with an attached off-the-shoulder strap. It has a fitted bodice to the natural waist and a full skirt with an asymmetrical hemline. The skirt trails on the floor at the proper right side, and is shorter on the proper left side ending near the ankle. A panel of the taffeta is gathered and pleated to form the shoulder strap, which is attached at the proper left front bodice under a vertical strip of the taffeta that also serves to gather up a separate panel of pleated taffeta that is attached around the top edge of the bodice. A pre-tied self-fabric bow lined in chartreuse taffeta is sewn at the center back of the shoulder strap, which attaches to the center back of the bodice with two (2) hooks corresponding to eyes on either back side of the bodice. The waistband of the dress is made from a wide pleated piece of the yellow taffeta with an over-sized pre-tied bow attached at the proper left front side. The bow has long tails, with the loops and tails lined in the chartreuse taffeta. The skirt is pleated around the waistband for fullness. The bottom ten (10) inches of the skirt is lined with the chartreuse, which shows on the facing side within the cascading folds of the asymmetric skirt. The dress closes at the center back with a zipper and one (1) hook-and-eye.
The interior bodice is lined in pale yellow silk faille with boning sewn around the bodice. There is a cream ribbon sewn as an interior waistband that closes at the center back with two (2) hook-and-eyes. There is an attached petticoat made from the yellow faille. It attaches separately with one (1) snap and one (1) hook-and-eye at the center back underneath the exterior zipper closure. Cream ribbon hanger loops are sewn at each interior side of the bodice. There are no labels.
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
Social life and customs
Women
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
2007.3.26
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5f341eb86-8dd5-4bd8-88de-51983a925c7f

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

Share this page