Mary McFadden Couture Vintage Wisteria Flower Embellished Pleated Evening Dress
View Similar Items
Mary McFadden Couture Vintage Wisteria Flower Embellished Pleated Evening Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Dimensions:Length: 62 in (157.48 cm)Marked Size: 10 (US)Bust: 36 in (91.44 cm)Waist: 32 in (81.28 cm)Hip: 45 in (114.3 cm)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Cloverdale, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU5811307012
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.
- Roberto Cavalli Tiger Print Jersey Cocktail / Dinner Dress Size 46 EUBy Roberto CavalliLocated in New York, NYRoberto Cavalli tiger print ivory jersey cocktail dress with 3/4 length sleeves. This fun dress is form fitted, gathered at the bust with beautiful...Category
Early 2000s Italian Evening Dresses and Gowns
- Vintage 1950's Neymar Couture Duchess Satin & Beaded Gown UK 4 US 0Located in Cheltenham, GBA once in a lifetime piece, this original 1950's Neymar Couture duchess satin gown, in the most sumptuous shade of cream, showcases true craftsmanship i...Category
1950s Ball Gowns
- Vintage 1940's Crepe Silk Hibiscus Dress UK 10 US 6Located in Cheltenham, GBA beauty to behold. This original 1940's dress, rendered in a cream crepe silk, with a pattern of blooming hibiscus flowers in sunsets shades of reds, oranges and yellows, with green...Category
1940s Cocktail Dresses
- Extremely Rare Mariano Fortuny Cotton DelphosBy FortunyLocated in Riverdale, NYThis extraordinarily rare dress is made of finely pleated white cotton. Few cotton pleated Fortuny dresses have been documented and survived.
Named after a Greek clas...CategoryEarly 20th Century Italian Art Deco Delphos Gowns
Price Upon Request - Jean Paul Gaultier Junior Bird Tropical Feather Electrical Mandala Runway DressBy Jean Paul GaultierLocated in PARIS, FRJEAN PAUL GAULTIER Junior VINTAGE Bird Tropical Feather Mandala Electrical Print Bodycon Bustier Rare Collector Pencil Dress Black and cream electrical print bodycon dress from Je...Category
1990s French Mini Dress
- Dolce & Gabbana Bra Lace Slip DressBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in Los Angeles, CAThis Classic 90's Dolce Gabbana Bra Slip Dress will be perfect for any occasion during the summer and fall weather. Layer this with a light sweater, ...Category
1990s Cocktail Dresses