Designed by
Davy, Peter, Saint Vincentian, 1944 - 1990
Subject of
Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
Date
1980s
Medium
lace, synthetic fiber, satin ribbon, and elastic, with metal and plastic fasteners
Dimensions
H x W x D (flat): 58 1/2 × 30 1/2 × 4 1/2 in. (148.6 × 77.5 × 11.4 cm)
Description
A shoulderless black lace dress with light blue, red, purple, yellow, violet, royal blue and green satin ribbon embellishments designed by Peter Davy. The dress is made from a black net lace with an allover pattern of small black woven dots. The bodice is fitted through the waist and hip with a dropped waistline. Rows of ribbon in rainbow colors are sewn around the waist and hip, with each of the seven (7) rows tied into a bow at the proper left side with long streamers falling from each bow down near the hemline of the skirt, averaging forty-two (42) inches long. The collar of the dress is made from a wide ruffle of the black lace with a series of rainbow ribbon stripes sewn around it. Elastic is sewn inside the collar where it falls onto the arms, leaving the shoulders bare. Full-length tight sleeves made from the black dotted lace extend below the collar. The gathered floor-length skirt is also made from the black dotted lace and another set of rainbow ribbon lines runs around the hem of the skirt. The dress closes at the center back with a black metal and plastic zipper and one (1) black metal hook-and-eye at the top of the zipper.
The interior bodice is lined in black synthetic knit fabric. A layer of stiff black net is sewn under the collar. The skirt has an attached petticoat made from black synthetic fabric with a ruffle around the bottom. Black hanger loops are sewn at each interior shoulder seam. A white fabric label with black printed text is sewn at the interior proper right back neck 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
2007.3.88
Restrictions & Rights
No Known Copyright Restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
GUID
http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd5fae5e641-0b7c-4dbb-8656-49038f62c7b8

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