Gold Brocade Evening Coat and Dress

 SOLD  Thanks!   Gold silk brocade evening coat and deep rose strapless silk taffeta dress modelled by my new favorite doll, Zita.  I added some faux fur cuffs in a nod to Barbie Evening Splendor.  The bodice is the same one that I created for the previous turquoise party dress.  But the weight of both of these fabrics demanded a straighter silhouette.  But I love this bodice with a straight skirt as well. The belt on the dress is embroidered with beads, pearls and a rhinestone.  Outfit is available for $145 plus $6 shipping in the US.  Email me at nwickman@chartermi.net if interested.  

This coat isn't a replica of any specific vintage garment but after I made it and while I was travelling down one of my rabbit holes on the internet researching Ann Lowe, I discovered this picture of Ann Lowe posing with a miniature replica that she created of Lady Bird Johnson's inauguration outfit and noticed the similarities.  Though not exactly miniature as the dolls were 48", the whole collection is still fun to see.  You can look at all of them here.

Most people don't know that Ann Lowe was the designer of Jackie Kennedy's iconic wedding gown because she never got the credit (or the money) she deserved.  She was a brilliant couture designer who created stunning gowns for many of society's wealthy elites while navigating the obstacles put in her path in the era of segregation and Jim Crow.  

The dress required 35 yards of silk taffeta, 20 of which were used for all the bias strips for the swags and the large rosettes.  Yet she was only paid $500 for this dress.  To make matters worse, 10 days before the wedding, a water pipe burst in Lowe's studio ruining the dress as well as several of the bridesmaid dresses.  They all had to be recreated in an incredibly short period of time.  Ultimately Lowe lost thousands of dollars on this job.  That might have been worth it if she had been credited as the designer in the press but she wasn't.  The Ladies' Homes Journal referred to her as "a colored woman dressmaker, not the haute couture".  No one could blame her for being insulted.