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.
| Average Sold Price |
| $703 |
| Related Designers |
Vintage Mary McFadden Couture 1980s Pink Fortuny Pleated Cocktail 80s Dress
By Mary McFadden
Located in San Diego, CA
Based on the measurements, I would describe this as approximately a modern US 8–10, with the pleated construction providing considerably more ease through the bust and especially the...
Vintage 1990s Mary McFadden Yellow Metallic Brocade Skirt Suit
By Mary McFadden
Located in valatie, NY
1990s Collection by Mary McFadden iridescent yellow metallic brocade suit has a double breasted jacket and pleated skirt. The jacket has rhinestone encrusted gold flower buttons, wel...
Evening skirt suit with sequin and rhinestone embroidered Mary Mc Fadden Couture
By Mary Mc Fadden, Mary McFadden
Located in Saint-Ouen-Sur-Seine, FR
Evening skirt suit with sequin ,rhinestone embroidered and gold threads. Mary McFadden for Neiman Marcus SIZE 38
Mary McFadden Pleated and Beaded Organza Gown
By Mary McFadden
Located in New York, NY
Mary McFadden Pleated and Beaded Organza Gown from the 1990's. Signature Fortuny pleated bodice with beaded and sequin embroidered waist and full organza skirt. Full skirt is of pat...
$1,175
Size: One Size
1980s Mary McFadden Beaded Silk Dickey Capelet Top with Matching Evening Bag Box
By Mary Mc Fadden, Mary McFadden
Located in San Diego, CA
Exceptional 1980s Mary McFadden hand-beaded silk dickey with its matching beaded drawstring evening bag and original box. Made in India from 100% pure silk, this extraordinary set embodies Mary McFadden’s richly embellished, globally influenced approach to evening dressing. The deep ruby-red to burgundy silk is covered with intricate tonal seed and bugle beadwork arranged in an organic scrolling pattern, with elaborate floral and foliate motifs concentrated around the neckline, shoulders and borders. The density of the hand-applied beadwork gives the piece the appearance of wearable jewelry. Although this dickie can visually read as a cropped blouse, cape or capelet, the garment is technically a dickey. It consists of beautifully beaded front and back panels joined at the shoulders and neckline while remaining completely open at the sides. This unusual construction allows the piece to transform another garment without the weight and bulk of an entirely beaded blouse. It is remarkably versatile. Wear it over a fitted black, ivory, burgundy or jewel-toned turtleneck for a dramatic layered evening look; over a silk blouse, camisole or bodysuit as a statement beaded top; or over a simple column dress to create the effect of an elaborately embellished bodice. It is particularly striking beneath an open tuxedo jacket, velvet blazer or evening coat, allowing the beaded dickey to function almost like an oversized jeweled collar. For a more contemporary look, pair it with high-waisted ivory or cream trousers and a blazer, or juxtapose the ornate 1980s beadwork with streamlined tailoring. It can therefore be styled as a dickey, bib top, beaded blouse, capelet, short cape, cropped top or statement collar, depending on how it is layered. The accompanying drawstring evening pouch is made from coordinating silk and repeats the same intricate beadwork, including densely worked botanical motifs. Twisted silk cords complete the design. Especially desirable is the survival of the original Mary McFadden box, making this an unusually complete vintage set. Condition: Brand new, unworn condition. The Mary McFadden dickey and matching evening bag are beautifully preserved. The original box is included and shows age-related wear and damage; the condition issues are confined to the box and do not affect the garments/accessories themselves. Designer: Mary McFadden Period: 1980s Country of manufacture: Made in India Shell: 100% pure silk Mary McFadden, vintage Mary McFadden, 1980s Mary McFadden, Mary McFadden dickey, beaded silk dickey, vintage beaded dickey, hand beaded capelet, beaded cape, beaded blouse, beaded top, bib top, statement collar, detachable beaded collar, silk evening top, hand beaded silk, Made in India, Indian beadwork, burgundy beaded top, ruby red beaded top, vintage eveningwear, matching evening bag, beaded drawstring bag...
Vintage Mary McFadden Couture Sz 10 1980s Pink Pearl Beaded Pleated Evening Gown
By Mary Mc Fadden, Mary McFadden
Located in San Diego, CA
Highlights • Mary McFadden Couture, 1980s – rare and collectible • Vibrant pink hue that flatters year-round: fresh for spring/summer, luminous for fall/winter events • Bodice ful...
Vintage Mary McFadden Couture Burgundy Long Sleeve Gown
By Mary McFadden
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
Beautiful 90s Marcy Mcfadden Couture Burgundy Long Sleeve V neck gown with gold frog closures and embellished waist. LARGE size Measurement : Bust: 42...
Mary McFadden Couture Size 6 Turquoise Dress S/S 1983 Beaded Sequin 1980s Dress
By Mary McFadden
Located in San Diego, CA
A striking and impeccably crafted vintage Mary McFadden Couture pleated dress from Spring/Summer 1983, showcasing her patented Marii pleating and the richly embellished beaded and sequined neckline that defined her early-1980s couture aesthetic. The dress is rendered in a luminous turquoise tone, with McFadden’s signature vertical pleating that moves fluidly while retaining its sculptural structure. The neckline features an intricate, hand-worked mosaic of turquoise, fuchsia, purple, emerald green, cobalt blue, gold, bronze, and black beads, accented with clear and iridescent sequins and metallic gold embroidery outlining the geometric design. This jewel-tone combination is a hallmark of McFadden’s globally inspired couture work from the early 1980s. Long sleeves, lightly structured shoulders, and a gently flared pleated skirt create a graceful, goddess-like silhouette. The dress closes with a hidden side zipper to preserve the uninterrupted line of the pleats. A rare and highly collectible Couture dress from McFadden’s S/S 1983 period, merging museum-caliber hand embellishment with her iconic pleated textile technique. Spring/Summer 1983 Label: Mary McFadden Couture Size: US 6 (please refer to measurements below) Model in video is US Size 6, 5’8 feet tall ⸻ Measurements Bust: 34 inches Waist: 27 to 28 inches Hips: 44 inches Length (top back shoulder seam to hem): 40 inches ⸻ Condition Excellent vintage condition. Pleating remains crisp and even. Multicolor beadwork and sequins are bright, intact, and beautifully preserved. Hidden zipper operates smoothly. Color is vibrant with no visible flaws. ⸻ Mary McFadden Couture, 1983 Mary McFadden, turquoise pleated dress, beaded dress, sequin dress, beaded neckline dress, multicolor beaded dress, Marii pleating dress, jewel tone dress...
| Sold Date | Sold Price | Category | Period | |||||||||||||||||||||
|
| $703 |
Average sold price of items in the past 12 months |
| $185-$1,200 |
| Sold price range of items in the past 12 months |