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Vintage Mary Mcfadden Couture Black Pleated Sheer shoulder Column Gown

Name: Vintage Mary Mcfadden Couture Black Pleated Sheer shoulder Column Gown
Brand: Mary McFadden
Price: 1600 USD
Availability: InStock

About the Item

An accomplished designer, Mary McFadden studied in New York and Paris, worked at Dior, and served as the editor of Vogue South Africa among other positions and awards. She started her own label in the 1970s, incorporating global inspirations and classic silhouettes in her designs. She notably created pleated garments that resemble the famous pleated silk dresses by Mariano Fortuny which eventually became her trademark. “The effect I'm searching for is to have the fabric fall like liquid gold against the body” said McFadden of her ‘Marii’ technique, and she seems to have accomplished just that. Made up of Fortuny style pleats, this striking black gown begins with a simple jewel neckline and long sleeves that reach the wrist. Sheer black insets at the shoulders, back of the bodice, and stomach add a revealing, seductive note that offers a nice textural contrast with the silk-like pleats. Concealed eye and hook closures along the center front placket can be opened to create a plunging V neckline, allowing this dress to go from demure to risqué and back, depending on the desired look. Size estimate: MED/LRG Tagged Size: 8 US Shoulders: 17 inches Sleeves: 22 inches Bust: 38 Waist: 28/29 inches Hips: 38/39 inches with some give Length: 60 inches Horizontal pleats at the sleeves, bust, and waistline offer a nice visual contrast with the vertical pleats of the skirt while accentuating the natural lines of the body, creating a pleasing rhythm throughout. The skirt falls from a drop waist to a maxi length at the ankles in a dainty ruffled hem, creating a classic columnar silhouette that remains elegant throughout. The dress is finished with black piping at the waistband, neckline, and bust, adding crisp definition and a smooth texture that ties the dress together. A beautiful and versatile addition to the discerning fashion lover’s wardrobe, this gown is meant for the spotlight and is the perfect choice for a wedding, evening soiree, or special occasion. This Mary McFadden gown has zip closures at the ends of the sleeves and closes with a concealed side zip and eye and hook closures at the front of the bodice. It is unlined save for nude silk lining at the bodice, which may be removed by a seamstress at the buyer’s discretion. In excellent condition, this gown has been professionally eco-dry cleaned and pressed. High-quality vintage pieces like this are yours to live in and love while increasing in value every year. It’s never too soon to start collecting them, as an investment in your wardrobe—and in yourself. - Follow us on Instagram @BASHAGOLD

Designer:

Mary McFadden

Brand:

Mary McFadden

Dimensions:

Length: 60 in (152.4 cm)Marked Size: 8 (US)Bust: 38 in (96.52 cm)Waist: 28 in (71.12 cm)Hip: 39 in (99.06 cm)

Place of Origin:

United States

Period:

1990-1999

Condition:

Seller Location:

Boca Raton, FL

Reference Number:

1stDibs: LU73016702732

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Shop All Mary McFadden

Mary McFadden

Less could have been expected from a well-bred society girl like Mary McFadden, who stepped out of the safe confines of the haut monde to create iconic designs for evening dresses, jackets, skirts and other items inspired by ancient and ethnic cultures and traditions. Fashion, in fact, was not initially on her agenda.

“I fell into it backwards,” she told the New York Times in 1979.

Born in New York but raised on a cotton plantation in Memphis, Tennessee, McFadden spent a few months at the Traphagen School of Fashion in 1956 and moved on to study sociology and anthropology at Columbia University. Afterward, she spent a short period of time in public relations at Christian Dior during the early 1960s, but she was unsure exactly what would lie ahead for her. McFadden decided to relocate to South Africa with her first husband, who oversaw production of the De Beers mines. While there, she began to design her own clothing — tunics that featured African prints, made of silk she’d found in Madagascar — because she couldn’t find anything that suited her.

In 1970, following two divorces, McFadden returned to her native New York City and was offered a job as an editor at Vogue magazine. Her colleagues admired the sophisticated garments she made in South Africa and had been wearing to work, and the magazine staffers pleaded to feature her designs, which meant she’d need to go into business in order to make them available to readers. So, in 1973, McFadden took the jump, soon becoming known for refreshing kimono-shaped jackets and richly colored pleated dresses that evoke the freedom of a Greek chiton — a far cry from the dull routine office attire for working women at the time. A collection of jewelry followed, and in 1977, McFadden patented her “marii” fabric, a pleated synthetic charmeuse that fell “like liquid gold on the body, like Chinese silk.”

In 1976, McFadden won her first Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award, and a few years later, she entered the Coty Award Hall of Fame. While her business shuttered in the early 2000s, the beloved designer’s timeless styles endure.

Shop vintage Mary McFadden day dresses, accessories and jewelry on 1stDibs today.