Vintage Mary Mcfadden Couture Pink Pleated Beaded Waist Maxi Column Dress

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Vintage Mary Mcfadden Couture Pink Pleated Beaded Waist Maxi Column Dress

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 statuesque strawberry pink gown begins with a deep V neckline and long puff sleeves that reach just above the wrist. The waist of the gown features a scalloped band of beautiful abstract patterns made up of beads and sequins in shades of blue, pink, lavender, and white, bordered and intersected by gold sequins, creating a gorgeous medley of color that draws the eye. The scallops along the top of the band meet at the center front of waist in an upwards point, mirroring the V neckline before gradually tapering off into a narrower band as it wraps around the back of the bodice, accentuating the hips. Size: 10 Size estimate: Medium/Large Shoulders: 15.5 inches Sleeves: 23 inches Bust: 34-38 inches Waist: 29-30 inches Hips: 34 -38 inches Length: 56 inches The skirt falls to a maxi length from the fitted waistline, the ruffled hem reaching just above the ankles. The simple, columnar silhouette of the dress allows the color and beautifully adorned waist to take center stage while the vertically pleated fabric creates a pleasing rhythm throughout. Finished at the neckline with strawberry pink piping, this elegant and refined gown is the perfect choice for an evening soiree or special occasion. This Mary McFadden couture dress is unlined, has padded shoulders, and closes with a concealed side zip. In excellent condition, this vintage maxi dress 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

Designer:
Mary McFadden
Brand:
Mary McFadden
Dimensions:
Length: 56 in (142.24 cm)Marked Size: M/L (US)Bust: 38 in (96.52 cm)Waist: 29 in (73.66 cm)Hip: 37 in (93.98 cm)
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1980-1989
Condition:
Seller Location:
Boca Raton, FL
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU73014013702

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.