dress, 4-piece
date: label: Date made
content: 1978-1985
name: label: wearer
content: Graham, Katherine
label: maker
content: Halston
notes: label: Description
content: Beige chiffon with black irregular dot leopard print; DRESS has round front neckline; center back placket neckline opening; fastens with 3 hooks and eyes, the hooks with thread covering; dolmen long sleeves; deep inverted pleat at shoulder; sleeve fullness gathered into narrow cuff; sleeve placket with snap closure; elastic around waistline, enclosed in tunnel; flared skirt; SCARF is bias cut; has slanted ends; rolled hems; SLIP of camel satin-backed crepe, used on the satin side; sweetheart neckline in front; straight across in back; narrow shoulder straps; bias-cut; A-line shape; separate 2 3/8" black ribbon belt.
label: Description
content: This dress was designed by Halston and made-to-order for Katharine Graham (1917-2001). Graham was president of the Washington Post and under her leadership, both the Pentagon Papers and the Post's investigation of Watergate were published. She was also the first female CEO of a Fortune 500 company. The museum acquired this dress as both an example of the dialog that goes on between the client and the designer in the made-to-order section of the fashion industry, and also as a representation of business dress of a Washington woman executive in the 1970s and 80s. Katharine Graham credited Halston with giving her the proper image that she needed to affirm her status and leadership at the Washington Post and public life. In helping her select the right style of clothes, he helped her raise her sense of self-confidence.
label: Location
content: Currently not on view
setName: label: See more items in
content: Home and Community Life: Costume
creditLine: label: Credit Line
content: Gift of Elizabeth Ann Hylton in memory of Katharine Graham
dataSource: label: Data Source
content: National Museum of American History
identifier: label: ID Number
content: 2004.0018.003
label: accession number
content: 2004.0018
label: catalog number
content: 2004.0018.003
objectType: label: Object Name
content: Dress, 4-Piece
label: Object Type
content: Main Dress
label: Object Type
content: Woman
label: Object Type
content: Dress
label: Object Type
content: Entire Body
physicalDescription: label: Measurements
content: center back: 46 1/4 in; 117.475 cm
label: Measurements
content: waistline: 27 in; 68.58 cm
label: Measurements
content: scarf width: 20 3/8 in; 51.7525 cm
label: Measurements
content: scarf length: 98 in; 248.92 cm
label: Measurements
content: slip center back: 31 3/4 in; 80.645 cm