Charleston Couture exhibit press release

Press Release

200 Years of Couture Fashion on Exhibit Fortuny pleated silk Delphos dress

Charleston, SC - February 9, 2012 - The Charleston Museum presents an original exhibition, Charleston Couture, from March 10 through November 4, 2012 in its Historic Textiles Gallery. The exhibit will showcase over fifty fine garments and accessories from the 1770s to the 1970s. Charleston Couture will include true haute couture garments brought back by privileged Lowcountry residents from their travels, as well as high style pieces made by local dressmakers. Also to be presented are formal fashions worn by notable Charlestonians, as well as elegant ready-to-wear evening wear sold in fashionable Charleston stores. For more information on Charleston Couture, photo gallery and related programs, visit http://www.charlestonmuseum.org/exhibits-charleston-couture.

Exhibition Highlights

Charleston Couture features haute couture garments designed by the likes of Charles Frederick Worth and Mariano Fortuny. Haute couture highlights include several Worth pieces as well as one of two Fortuny pleated silk Delphos dresses (pictured top) from the collection and an evening coat.

Mrs. Mendel River's cocktail dress

Garments worn by notable Charlestonians, such as an elegant 18th century gown from the Middleton family (pictured above), a luxurious dress of Chinese silk damask worn by Josephine Manigault in 1886 and a 20th century cocktail dress (pictured right) worn by Margaret Middleton Rivers will be on display.

Thomas Pinckney's court suit

Stunning and stylish menswear will be well-represented by Thomas Pinckney's 1790s purple embroidered velvet court suit (pictured left) and Giovanni Sottile's tailcoat from Palermo, Italy. Formal menswear is rounded out by heavily embellished 19th century vests worn by Louis Manigault and others, as well as a 1960 dinner jacket made for Congressman Mendel Rivers in Hong Kong.

Photography

Images within this press release are from the collections of The Charleston Museum and should not be reproduced without permission. We are happy to provide print-quality images upon request.

Charleston Couture image identification: 1930s gown McAvoy of Chicago

1. Delphos or Greek-style dress, designed by Mariano Fortuny, was introduced in Venice around 1907 and became the height of fashion. He was noted for perfecting a technique of pleating sheer silk and for his use of natural dyes. This gown has Venetian glass beads on the neckline drawstring and was worn by Ethel Sanford (1873-1924).
2. Open-front sack-back gown or Robe à la Française, c. 1770, with elaborate fly fringe ornamentation and matching petticoat. It was worn over side hoop panniers for a fashionable silhouette. This dress was worn by a member of the family of Henry Middleton, President of the Continental Congress.
3. Coral silk and chiffon cocktail dress, c. 1945, made by Lee Claire of New York and sold by the fashionable dress shop Margaret Riley's of Charleston. This dress was worn by Margaret Middleton Rivers, wife of Congressman L. Mendel Rivers of Charleston.
4. Embroidered purple velvet suit worn by Thomas Pinckney for his court visits, clearly placing him at the height of fashion for 1793. Pinckney was ambassador to the Court of St. James during George Washington's administration.
5. Olive green silk velvet dress (shown here from the back), with boat neckline, rhinestone shoulder clips and a short train in back. It has a long sleeved jacket with wonderful batwing sleeves. The bias cut adds stretch and drape to the lustrous fabric. It was worn in the 1930s by Miss Fanny Eliza Hume (1882-1950) of Charleston and bears a McAvoy/Chicago label.
6. Saffron gold silk dress, c. 1869, with organdy and lace edging, green and cream satin ribbons. The overskirt gathers up in to add emphasis to the back, a precursor to the bustle. This gown was worn by Frances Olmsted (later Mrs. Richard Maynard Marshall) when she attended the first St. Cecilia Ball held after the Civil War.

About The Charleston Museum

The Charleston Museum, founded in 1773, is America's first museum. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization located along Charleston's Museum Mile. Holding the most extensive collection of South Carolina cultural and scientific collections in the nation, it also owns two National Historic Landmark houses, the Heyward-Washington House (1772) and the Joseph Manigault House (1803), as well as the Dill Sanctuary, a 580-acre wildlife preserve. Museum hours are Monday-Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1-5 p.m. Museum admission is $10 for adults and $5 for children.

360 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29403
843-722-2996
www.charlestonmuseum.org

The Charleston Museum

Rachel Giesy Chesser

PR & Events Coordinator
rchesser@charlestonmuseum.org
(843) 722-2996 x235