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Green dress with silver details and attached necklace designed by Peter Davy

African American Museum

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    Object Details

    Designed by

    Peter Davy, Saint Vincentian, 1944 - 1990

    Subject of

    Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007

    Description

    A green dress with silver beading, sequin, and rhinestone detailing designed by Peter Davy. The dress is made from a green under layer of synthetic or silk and synthetic blend material overlaid in iridescent green semi-sheer fabric. It is cut with a fitted bodice, waist, and skirt with a slit on the proper left side of the skirt and the hemline curving up toward the slit. The front of the bodice is a deep V-neck, while the back has a high standing collar. The full-length gigot sleeves have large poufs at the shoulders made from the same under layer and over layer fabrics as the dress, while the tight-fitting portions of the sleeves, beginning just above the elbow, are made from an under layer of the iridescent green fabric and an over layer of synthetic green net having silver metallic woven lace in a scrolling leaf design. Pieces of the green and silver lace are placed at the standing collar, the front bodice, and along the hemline. Heavy embellishments in silver beads, sequins, and rhinestones are applied at the collar, front bodice, and hemline by hand. Silver rhinestones decorate the tight lace portions of the sleeves. Three (3) strands of silver rhinestone beads and white seed beads are sewn across the front neck, attaching at the sides of the standing collar, to form an attached necklace at the center front. The dress closes at the center back with a green plastic zipper.
    The interior of the dress is not lined as the green under layer serves as a lining fabric. A heavier weight green fabric lines the interior collar to provide support for the standing collar. Thick shoulder pads are sewn into a case made from the green under layer material and attached to the pouf portions of each sleeve. A white fabric label with black printed text is sewn at the interior proper right back neck that reads, "An Original / by / Peter Davy" with three (3) black diamonds down the proper left side of the label.

    Credit Line

    Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane

    Date

    1985-1990

    Object number

    2007.3.94

    Restrictions & Rights

    No Known Copyright Restrictions
    Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

    Type

    dresses

    Medium

    synthetic fiber, silk, sequins, rhinestones, and glass beads, with metal and plastic zipper

    Dimensions

    H x W x D (flat): 55 1/2 × 27 1/2 × 4 1/2 in. (141 × 69.9 × 11.4 cm)
    H x W x D (on form): 56 1/2 × 23 7/8 × 12 1/2 in. (143.5 × 60.6 × 31.8 cm)

    Place made

    New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America

    See more items in

    National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

    Collection title

    Black Fashion Museum Collection

    Classification

    Clothing - Fashion and Historical

    Data Source

    National Museum of African American History and Culture

    Topic

    African American
    Clothing and dress
    Design
    Fashion
    Fashion design

    Metadata Usage

    CC0

    Link to Original Record

    http://n2t.net/ark:/65665/fd54d1536bd-78f9-4b40-91fb-6e8500c7af8e

    Record ID

    nmaahc_2007.3.94

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