Rare Mary McFadden Egyptian Brooch/Clip
By Mary McFadden
Located in New York, NY
Rare Mary McFadden Egyptian Brooch/Clip is wonderfully carved in details with the gold hardware base. This piece measures 2" in length, 1 1/2"...
Category
Mary McFadden Brooches
American, b. 1938
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.
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Creator: Mary McFadden
Mary McFadden Gilded Gold Hardware "Scrab" Optional Clip on Brooch
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This wonderful gilded gold hardware "Scrab" by Mary McFadden optional clip-on brooch as well as a loop to hold in place your silk scarf when being worn is detailed with etchin...
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Mary McFadden TheMetCollectedJewelrySeries Gilt Openwork Sculptural Brooch c1970
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1970s American Modern Vintage Mary McFadden Brooches
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Mary Mcfadden brooches for sale on 1stDibs.
Find a range of Mary McFadden brooches available on 1stDibs. Each of these unique items was designed with extraordinary care, often using gold. We have 4 pieces in this collection as well as a number of other designs by this jeweler. While this collection reflects work that originated over various time periods, most of these items were designed during the 20th century. If you’re looking for additional options, many customers also consider brooches by Trio, Frank Hess for Miriam Haskell, and Castellani. Prices for Mary McFadden brooches can differ depending upon gemstone, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $885 and tops out at $2,650, while pieces like these, on average, can sell for $1,618.
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Questions About Mary McFadden Brooches
- What is Mary McFadden known for?1 Answer1stDibs ExpertApril 5, 2022Mary McFadden is a fashion designer known for her kimono-shaped jackets and synthetic pleated charmeuse fabric. She drew inspiration for her designs from ancient cultures and traditions from around the world. Shop a variety of classic Mary McFadden clothing from some of the world’s top boutiques on 1stDibs.