The Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum, NY has mounted, from its own collection, its first exhibition dedicated to the work of women designers since merging 85 years ago with the museum.

 

 

 

Court presentation ensemble, 1928

Hand sewn ivory silk tulle, machine embroidered with couched silver cord; insets of silver blue silk and metal lame with machine picot edging; hand appliqued with hand embroidered white silk tulle with artificial flowers and blue silk ribbon and floss.

Boué Soeurs, active 1899-1957.  Founded by two sisters, Sylvie Montegut and Jeanne d’Etreillis using their maiden name.

 

 

This follows a period of introspection by many North American institutions on the very large imbalance in the resources assigned  to female artists compared to male ones; and to artists of minority populations compared to those who are white.

 

Museum  resources include  institutional recognition, sponsorship, scholarship, and acquisition.  These have a large effect on the popular success also of the artist.

 

 

Evening dress, c. 1913; pale pink silk satin, black and gold silk net, and gold metal lace, embroidered with black beads and iridescent  gelatin sequins. 

Margaine-Lacroix, French, active c. 1889-1929.  Jeanne Victorine Margaine-Lacroix, 1868-1930

 

 

This exhibition displays the work of a little more than 70 women from the last 120 years.  It includes 80 pieces. 

 

Compare this to the 150+ works on display in 2023 for the 60 creative years of one man – Karl Lagerfeld – and the imbalance is clear. 

 

Also telling is the fact that more than half of these 80 creations have never before been put on display.

 

 

 

Evening dress, c. 1923; pink silk crepe de chine and red cotton and gold silk and metal lace, embroidered with pink, silver, and blue-green bugle beads and pink and blue-green synthetic stones

 

Madeleine et Madeleine, French, 1919-1924/26.

  Probably Madeleine Lepeyre (French,?), Madame Madeleine (French,?)

 

 

Notable also is the fact that the dates of birth or/and death of some of these women creators are not known.  They  remain anonymous.

 

 

 

Dress, autumn/winter, 1924-25, ivory silk and gold-metal crepe.

House of Vionnet, French, 1912-14, 1918-39.  Madeleine Vionnet, 1876-1975, French

 

 

 

Evening dress, 1922; beige silk chiffon and lace with polychrome silk flowers.

  Lucille Ltd., 1910-1932, American founded London 1904.  Lucy Christiana Duff-Gordon, 1863-1935, British

 

 

These photos are a partial view of what was shown.

 

One  dazzling creation each of Mesdames Grès, Chanel, and Schiaparelli were on display but beyond my photographic skills…

 

 

 

‘Theodosia’ tea gown, 1925; purple silk velvet printed with silver and gold metallic powder pigment; replica sleeves of purple silk crinkle chiffon embroidered with glass beads.

Gallenga, Italian, 1918-1984.  Maria Monacci Gallenga, 1880-1944, Italian

 

 

The movement called “Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity” which seeks to continue the unfinished work of the Civil Rights movement in the US, is already under threat.

 

 

 

Evening dress, 1928, beige silk satin embroidered with natural straw, and panels of beige silk tulle embroidered with ombre-dyed beige and pink knotted ostrich plumes.

Louiseboulanger, French, 1923-39.  Marie Louise Boulanger, 1878-1958, French

 

 

We are hoping the museums hold the line with the rebalancing of what is presented and what is valued.

 

In the matter of women couturiers, among many other subjects involving women, this is such a gratifying and beautiful line.

 

 

 

 

On the left:  ensemble, c. 1927; dress and jacket of navy silk faille appliqued with ivory silk crepe

Mariska Karasz, American, 1910s-c.1931. Mariska Karasz, 1898-1960, Hungarian

 

 

 

 

On the left:  evening dress, 1938; black silk velvet and gold metal lame striped jacquard

Valentina Gowns, American, 1928-1957.  Valentina Schlee, 1899-1989, Ukrainian born Russia

 

 

 

 

On the left: dress, 1928; red silk crepe with floral applique of polychrome silk crepe.

  Sarah Lipska, mid-1920’s – 1939. Sarah Lipska, 1882-1973, Polish (first woman to attend Warsaw’s Academy of Fine Arts (1904); collaborator on costume and theatrical design in Paris  with Leon Bakst and Serge Diaghilev (1912 onwards).

 

On the right: evening dress, 1924; black silk taffeta embroidered with polychrome silk taffeta leaf motifs.

Myrbor, French 1922-36. Marie Cuttoli, 1879-1973, French (real name: Myriam Bordes)

 

 

 

 

Evening dress, 1931-32; ivory and pale pink satin rayon. 

 Bruyere, French, 1928-59.  Marie Louise Bruyere, 1884-after 1959, French

 

 

 

 

‘Delphos’ gown, c. 1932; blue-green pleated silk taffeta with belt of green silk plain weave printed with gold metallic pigment.

Mariano Fortuny y Madrazo, 1871-1949, Spanish

A note from 1909 attributes this design by Fortuny to his  wife and creative partner, Henriette Nigrin, 1877-1975, French.

This was Fortuny’s most successful design and was produced and sold for more than 40 years.

 

 

 

Evening ensemble, c. 1932.  Dress of pale green wool crepe and bolero of orange silk crepe embroidered with polychrome silk and gold metal thread; dress clip of silver metal, coral and clear gemstones. 

Jeanne Havet (Madame Havet), ‘directrice’ at ‘Madame Agnes’ after 1907;  c. 1860-1948, French

 

 

 

 

Evening dress, spring/summer 1937; ivory, red, blue, pink, and green silk chiffon and ivory satin-backed crepe.

Nina Ricci (French, founded 1932).  Maria Nina Ricci, 1883-1970, Italian

 

 

 

Evening dress, 1938; ivory silk organza trimmed with black colobus monkey (now protected) fur

House of Paquin (French, 1891-1956); founded by two women: Isidora Jacob and Jeanne Marie Charlotte Beckers.  Ana de Pombo, 1900-1985, Spanish

 

 

 

Evening dress, c. 1968, white cotton organdy trimmed with pink silk organza and green silk taffeta carnations

Ann Lowe, 1898-1981, American for A.F. Chantilly, Inc., American, 1965-before 1972

 

 

 

On the left: dress, c. 1928; red silk crepe with floral applique of polychrome silk crepe

Myrbor, French, 1922-1936. Sarah Lipska, Polish, 1882-1973

 

On the right: Evening dress, 1924; black silk taffeta embroidered with polychrome silk taffeta leaf motifs.

Marie Cuttoli, 1879-1973, French

 

 

 

This photo from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, NY

Evening dress, late 1940’s; blue-silk and navy silk organdy. 

Mad Carpentier, 1939-1957. Suzie Carpentier, 1892-?, French. 

Mad Maltezos and Suzie Carpentier (Adele Clerisse) were former colleagues at the House of Vionnet who continued to work together after its close in 1939

 

 

 

Ensemble, 1966, cotton. 

Paraphernalia, 1965’s-late 1970’s American. Betsey Johnson, American born 1942.  Photo from the site of the Metropolitan Museum, NY

 

 

 

 

On the left: Ensemble, 1974-76; sweater of light pink, red and white striped wool knit; skirt of light pink wool knit

House of Sonia Rykiel, French, 1968-2019; 2021-present.  Sonia Rykiel, 1930-2016, French

 

On the right:  Coat, 1968-69; yellow wool felt screenprinted with ‘The Knitted Circle’ and ‘Diamonds and Roses’ patterns in black and red

Zandra Rhodes, British founded 1969. Zandra Rhodes, British born 1940

 

 

 

Front:  Cape and evening dress, autumn/winter 1993/94, spring/summer 1992; black and ivory double-faced silk satin jacquard.

Yeohlee, American founded 1981. Yeohlee Teng, American born Malaysia 1951

 

Rear: “Parfleche dress”, silk, synthetic, 2021

Jamie Okuma (Enrolled member of the La Jolla Band of Mission Indians, Shoshone-Bannock, Wailaki, Luiseño, and Okinawan, born California, 1977)

 

 

 

On the left:  ‘Mao’ Suit, spring/summer 1995, edition 2015; black and white polyester jacquard woven with positive and negative images of Mao Zedong.

Vivienne Tam, founded 1982.  Vivienne Tam, American born China, 1957

 

On the right, Evening ensemble, silk; fall/winter 1992-93.

Donna Karan, American founded 1985. Donna Karan, American born 1948

 

 

 

Evening dress, Autumn/Winter 2007; ivory, silk chiffon, satin and gauze. 

Rodarte, American founded 2004: the company of  Kate (American born 1979) and Laura (American born 1980) Mulleavy

 

 

 

 

Ensemble, autumn/winter 2007/08. Coat of black silk-linen-synthetic gabardine novelty weave with green felted wool embroidered with black feathers and black rectangular sequins; skirt of black silk gabardine embroidered with the same sequins

Prada, Italian, founded 1913. Muccia Prada, Italian  born 1949

 

 

 

 

Ensemble, spring/summer 2012; dress of white silk organza and nude silk mesh embroidered with silver glass beads, clear glass crystals, and silver metal feather-shaped paillettes; headpiece of silver synthetic Chantilly lace embroidered with silver sequins and beads.

Sarah Burton, born 1974 British, creative director  (2010-2023) of Alexander McQueen, founded 1992, British

 

 

 

 

Ensemble cruise 2020, version 2022.  Jacket of black silk shantung crocheted with red, white and green viscose; skirt of red, white, and green, and black striped raffia embroidered with flowers

House of Dior founded 1946, French:  Maria Grazie Chiuri, Italian born 1964 collaborating with Grace Wales Bonner, British born 1992

 

 

 

 

On the left: “Kinshasa dress”; synthetic material; fall/winter 2020/21. Hanifa, American founded 2012.  Anisha Mvuemba, Congolese-American born Kenya 1990

Colours of the Congolese flag: red for suffering; blue for peace; yellow for hope.

 

On the right: Ensemble, 2010/11; skeleton dress of white polyamide 3-D printed by Materialise. 

Iris Van Herpen, Dutch founded 2007. Iris Van Herpen, Dutch born 1984.

 

 

 

Ensemble, synthetic, leather; 2022. 

Marine Serre, founded 2018, French.  Marine Serre, French born 1991