Object Details
wearer
Brosnahan, Rachel
producer
Sherman-Palladino, Amy
maker
Eric Winterling, Inc.
designer
Zakowska, Donna
Description
Black cocktail dress worn by Rachel Brosnahan in the Amazon series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. The coat was designed by Donna Zakowska and made by Eric Winterling, Inc. The dress has a pleated skirt with a fitted waist and black leather belt with a rectangular buckle. The straps are thick with rectangular bows positioned at the shoulders and the back has a shallow "V" neck.
This dress was worn in a scene in the season one finale of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel in which Midge Maisel performs her first professional comedy set, at New York's Gaslight Cafe. Capping a season of marital problems and struggle to create a life for herself as an individual, Midge experiences a triumphant moment. Midge’s estranged husband Joel finally watches her perform and defends her after men heckle her with sexist remarks. Midge ends the performance by proclaiming “My name is Mrs. Maisel. Thank you and Goodnight!”
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel was one of the most acclaimed streaming series of the 2010s, winning numerous Emmy Awards and critical praise for its nuanced portrayal of mid-20th century women’s life, urban Jewish identity, and the 1960s comedy scene. Showrunner and creator Amy Sherman-Palladino was lauded for the series’ exploration of women's lives in mid-20th century America, including marriage and separation, societal expectations, beauty, systemic gender inequality, motherhood, and the struggle to navigate male-dominated workplaces. Sherman-Palladino is one of the most active and celebrated female writers and producers in the entertainment industry today, having also created The Gilmore Girls and becoming the first woman in history to win in the comedy writing and directing categories at the Primetime Emmy Awards.
Mrs. Maisel costume designer Donna Zakowska earned critical acclaim for creating beautiful and historically-accurate clothing that helped to advance and support the series’ narrative. Zakowska, who won an Emmy for her work outfitting Paul Giamatti and Laura Linney in the 2008 HBO miniseries John Adams, also won an Emmy for Outstanding Period Costumes for Maisel’s second season.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
around 2016
ID Number
2019.0313.01.01
accession number
2019.0313
catalog number
2019.0313.01.01
Object Name
dress
Physical Description
fabric (overall material)
Measurements
overall: 38 in x 18 in x 3 in; 96.52 cm x 45.72 cm x 7.62 cm
place made
United States: New York, New York City
See more items in
Culture and the Arts: Entertainment
Popular Entertainment
Data Source
National Museum of American History
Subject
Television
Link to Original Record
Record ID
nmah_1973652