Gold and silver beaded evening dress by Peter Davy
date: label: Date
content: 1960s - 1980s
name: label: Designed by
content: Peter Davy, Saint Vincentian, 1944 - 1990
label: Subject of
content: Black Fashion Museum, American, 1979 - 2007
notes: label: Description
content: A black evening dress by Peter Davy that is entirely hand embellished with two sizes of gold and silver plastic beads and rhinestones. The base of the dress is composed of a black synthetic fabric that has areas of looped pilling on the surface. The silver and gold beading outlines the looped pilling areas throughout the dress. The bust of the dress is constructed from a pre-made bra that has been refashioned into the dress’s bodice. It features a sweetheart neckline that has a higher concentration of gold and silver beading. Both bust straps are heavily embellished and feature an additional, decorative strap made from cotton twill tape with a beaded trim. The beaded trim consists of clear, yellow, and black glass seed beads and black glass bugle beads. The skirt of the dress is composed of two panels and there is a front slit at the proper left side. Gold and silver beading, and plastic rhinestones are heavily concentrated around the edge of the slit. The bottom hem of the dress features a black (possibly crochet?) lace trim that has been handstitched to the bottom of the dress. The trim features silver beads and rhinestones. The back bust of the dress is made from two panel pieces and features heavy gold and silver beading along the top edge. There are three sets of metal hook and eye closures along the center back seam. Below the closures is a keyhole cut out that is situated at the lower center back. There are five additional metal hook and eye sets below the cut out along with a black metal YKK zipper and black plastic teeth. The back of the skirt is composed of two panel pieces that are joined at the center back. The interior of the dress is unlined. There are black satin ribbons hanging straps hand sewn to the interior of the bust. Metal grommets are visible throughout the body of the dress where the rhinestones have been punched.
label: Cataloging Notes
content: This project received Federal support from the Smithsonian American Women’s History Initiative Pool, administered by the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum.
place: label: Place made
content: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
topic: label: Topic
content: African American
label: Topic
content: Clothing and dress
label: Topic
content: Design
label: Topic
content: Fashion
label: Topic
content: Fashion design
setName: label: See more items in
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection
label: Collection title
content: Black Fashion Museum Collection
label: Classification
content: Clothing - Fashion and Historical
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of the Black Fashion Museum founded by Lois K. Alexander-Lane
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of African American History and Culture
identifier: label: Object number
content: 2007.3.111
objectType: label: Type
content: dresses
objectRights: label: Restrictions & Rights
content: No Known Copyright Restrictions
label: Restrictions & Rights
content: Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.
physicalDescription: label: Medium
content: synthetic cellulose with plastic and glass beads, metal rhinestones, synthetic satin ribbon, and cotton twill
label: Dimensions
content: L x W: 57 × 19 in. (144.8 × 48.3 cm)