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Gown worn by Lisa Fischer

African American Museum

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    Object Details

    Created by

    Tony Chase, American, 1952- ca. 1990

    Owned by

    Luther Vandross, American, 1951 - 2005

    Worn by

    Lisa Fischer, American, born 1958

    Description

    Red and black beaded gown designed by Tony Chase and worn by Lisa Fischer in performances with Luther Vandross.
    The body of the gown is red and is covered with wavy strands of thin, red beads, which were sewn on. The neckline has a small triangular cutout. There is black nylon mesh covering the upper chest and collar bone area. The neckline and the mesh have black and clear beading on it. The sleeves have shoulder pads inside. The shoulders, bodice, hips, and the forearm section of the sleeves have geometric designs in black and clear beads. The sleeves have red zippers starting at the wrists. The hips have a peplum going around them. It has pointed flaps of varying sizes. The reverse side of the peplum is lined in red. There are several areas on the skirt where the red beads are missing. In addition to the missing beads, there are a few loose threads on the dress. The gown has a large slit which goes up the center front of the dress. The gown also has a long train, with edges in varying lengths. The geometric beaded designs and the nylon mesh carry over to the back of the gown. At the back of the neck there is a metal fastener and a black zipper. The back of the train features an intricate, beaded geometric design.

    Credit Line

    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Seveda Williams in Celebration of the Musical Legacy of her Uncle, Luther Vandross

    Date

    1980s

    Object number

    2018.86.4

    Restrictions & Rights

    Unknown - Restrictions Possible
    Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

    Type

    gowns

    Medium

    polyester, silk, nylon, rhinestone, plastic, and thread

    Dimensions

    H x W (Length, flat; Width, shoulders): 90 × 20 in. (228.6 × 50.8 cm)
    H x W (Width- Hips): 17 in. (43.2 cm)
    H x W (Width- Train, flat): 62 in. (157.5 cm)

    See more items in

    National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

    Classification

    Clothing - Costume

    Data Source

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Topic

    African American
    Clothing and dress
    Costume
    Rhythm and blues (Music)
    Singers (Musicians)

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd59eb26c19-d240-4bc7-92ad-61b48e0d8c12

    Record ID

    nmaahc_2018.86.4

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