Mary McFadden Necklaces
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.
1980s American Vintage Mary McFadden Necklaces
Brass
1980s American Modern Vintage Mary McFadden Necklaces
Bronze
20th Century Italian Art Deco Mary McFadden Necklaces
Onyx, Sapphire, Turquoise, Diamond, 18k Gold, White Gold
Mid-20th Century Modernist Mary McFadden Necklaces
Agate, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s Italian Contemporary Mary McFadden Necklaces
18k Gold
1960s Italian Retro Vintage Mary McFadden Necklaces
Agate, Pearl, Turquoise, 9k Gold, Rose Gold, Silver
1970s American Native American Vintage Mary McFadden Necklaces
Agate, Coral, Lapis Lazuli, Turquoise, Onyx, Sterling Silver
Early 2000s Turkish Contemporary Mary McFadden Necklaces
Diamond, 14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Mary McFadden Necklaces
Other, Silver Plate
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Mary McFadden Necklaces
Base Metal
Mid-20th Century German Art Deco Mary McFadden Necklaces
Base Metal
Late 20th Century Retro Mary McFadden Necklaces
Ruby, Diamond, Lapis Lazuli, 14k Gold
Mid-20th Century French Art Deco Mary McFadden Necklaces
Silver Plate, Base Metal
1980s American Vintage Mary McFadden Necklaces
14k Gold, Yellow Gold
Mary Mcfadden necklaces for sale on 1stDibs.
Creators Similar to Mary McFadden
- 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.