- Designed by
- Davy, Peter, Saint Vincentian, 1944 - 1990
- Subject of
- Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
- Date
- 1980s
- Medium
- velvet , synthetic lace, synthetic faille, sequins, and beads, with metal and plastic zipper
- Dimensions
- H x W x D (flat): 47 × 18 1/2 × 1 1/4 in. (119.4 × 47 × 3.2 cm)
- Description
- A merlot fitted velvet dress with black lace, and gold and black beading and sequin details designed by Peter Davy. The dress is made from the merlot velvet, with no waist seam, and a straight ankle-length sheath skirt with a thigh-high slit at the proper left side. The bodice has a high neckline, but the front has a deep scalloped v-shaped cut-out that is then filled in with machine-made black synthetic lace net with a woven design of small black dots. A strip of three rows of gold, black, and gold sequins trims the cut-out. The same lace is used to make the full-length fitted cuff-less sleeves. A standing collar is made from a double layer of the black net lace, with a strip of the three rows of gold and black sequins between the neck and the bodice. Gold and black beaded chevron panels are sewn at the top of each shoulder, with strands of gold and black beaded fringe dangling off the side above the sleeves. The slit on the skirt is trimmed in a row of gold and a row of black sequins, with ten (10) lengths of black and gold fringe sewn at intervals down the slit. The dress closes at the center back with a black metal and plastic zipper.
- The dress is lined in black synthetic faille, except at the lace cut-out and the sleeves. A white fabric label with black printed text is sewn at the interior proper right back bodice that reads, "An Original / by / Peter Davy" with three (3) black diamonds down the proper left side of the label.
- 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
- 2007.3.80
- Restrictions & Rights
- No Known Copyright Restrictions
- Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.




