Evening dress

Designer Claire McCardell American
Manufacturer Townley Frocks American

Not on view

American designer Claire McCardell’s knowledge of fashion history included an interest in both Western and Eastern vernacular dressing styles. She used these inspirations to achieve utility, ease, and fit. The textile, pleating, and color of this evening dress borrow from Chinese costume, while the wide, obi-like sash and columnar silhouette evoke Japanese origins. The dress is cut like a poncho with its top crisscrossed over the bodice to create a kimono-like neckline.








On view from October 22, 2022–February 20, 2023

Evening dress, Claire McCardell (American, 1905–1958), silk, American

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