Printed in the United States of america First edition, 2011
iSBN: 978-0-913820-36-0
Director of Print and Multimedia Publications: Rosemary K. adams
Editor: Emily Nordstrom
assistant editor: Lydia Carr
Designed by Eileen Wagner Design
Charles James: Genius Deconstructed is generously supported by the Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum.
Additional support provided by
Costume Coun C il of the Chi C ago h istory m useum
The purpose of the Costume Council is to support the Chicago history Museum as a leader in the documentation and interpretation of the history and the art of costume. The Chicago history Museum serves as a national resource for the preservation, interpretation, and understanding of history through the collection, examination, and documentation of costume. Today the Costume Council’s volunteer membership proudly supports the collection, which has grown to be the second largest collection in the world dating back to the 1720s.
Spon S or S of Style
Through the volunteer leadership of the Costume Council of the Chicago history Museum, under past Council president Noren Ungaretti and current president Nena ivon, along with Costume Ball chairs Robin Loewenberg Berger, Catherine Eberle, and Lawrie Weed, an effort was launched to secure funding for the exhibition, Charles James: Genius Deconstructed. Thank you to the following donors for their generous support.
Visionary
Molex inc.
Pomellato
President’s CirCle
Robin Loewenberg Berger
Neiman Marcus
Park hyatt Chicago
Colonel (iL) J. N. Pritzker, iL aRNg (Retired)
Saks Fifth avenue
BenefaCtor
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel N. Barlow
Sophie and Jonathan Bross
Cynthia and Benjamin Chereskin
Constance and E. David Coolidge iii
Mrs. Bonnie K. Deutsch
Catherine Eberle
Fashion group Foundation of Chicago inc.
Mark Ferguson and Elizabeth Yntema Ferguson
Kelly golden/neapolitan collection
harris Private Bank
Susan higinbotham
David D. hiller
Vicki and Bill hood
Susan and gary Johnson
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph a. Konen Sr.
Whitney Lasky
Julie Latsko
Stuart and george Mesires
Erica C. Meyer and Potter Palmer
helen harvey Mills
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Pacholick
Linda Johnson Rice
Patrick g. and Shirley W. Ryan
Melinda and andrew Turitz
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Waters
Mrs. Edward R. Weed
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Wood-Prince
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Zentner
friend
Constance K. Barkley
Jamee C. Field
Nena ivon
gretchen Jordan
Judy and Dave Lockhart
The Peninsula Chicago
Carol Prins and John hart
Lynda and Richard Wood
Patron
James L. alexander and Curtis D. Drayer
Judy and P. D. Block iii
Sherrill and John Bodine
Marcia and Ed Buchanan
Lori gray Faversham
Richard and Melissa gamble
Jean goldman
Marcy and David gookin
Michael R. hawley
Cindy Kalnow
Corri McFadden
helen hall Melchior
Shauna Montgomery
Mr. and Mrs. William Perez
Roger Price and Tommy Walton, Price Walton
John and Naomi Reese
Laura Barnett Sawchyn
Dr. and Mrs. alexander Stemer
Liz Stiffel
Mr. and Mrs. glenn Tilles
Richard and Noren Ungaretti
Joan von Leesen
p ref AC e
“To see things in the seed,” the Chinese mystic philosopher Laozi tells us, “that is genius.” For Charles James, the human body was the seed of his creativity. James saw fashion not as an abstraction or an adornment to cover the body, but instead as an extension—viscerally and inextricably connected to flesh and bone—of the human form. his method of constructing dresses can be likened to Chicago architect Louis Sullivan’s approach to building decoration. in Sullivan’s buildings, decoration was not something frivolously applied to the exterior surface, but an expression of the organic spirit of the structure pushing outward from the center through the walls to the exterior surface. The exterior decorative surface was integral to and at one with the structure.
We are enchanted by genius in whatever form it takes. We yearn to copy it, to bottle it, to understand its essence and origin. So too for Charles James, long considered by many as a genius of fashion. The creativity, passion, and unrelenting obsessions of couturier Charles James that spanned some five decades are legend and have supported his reputation as a unique creator in the world of fashion. although James counted Chicago’s best dressed among his clientele, few examples of his work survive, and as a result, his genius is not widely understood.
Traditional scholarship on James is essential to appreciate the true scale and depth of his contributions, but it reveals only a partial view of his oeuvre. To get inside James’s mind, Museum staff deciphered his most iconic pieces—a 1930s evening gown, the Clover, and the Tree. They studied them from all angles and perspectives. Turned them inside out. Sketched, photographed, X-rayed, and recreated replicas of them. Two years later, the results of this unorthodox but fascinating interrogation of his work are the subject of the exhibition Charles James: Genius Deconstructed.
Special thanks to the Costume Council of the Chicago history Museum for its generous support of this exhibition. Noren Ungaretti, past president of the council, and current president Nena ivon, championed the enthusiastic support of the exhibition, and they and the council have given generously of their time to support it. i want to thank all who supported this effort by contributing to the Costume Ball, and i want especially to acknowledge the extraordinary generosity of the many individuals who adopted one of the couture dresses in the exhibition through the Sponsors of Style program. Those individuals are listed in this publication.
No exhibition at the Chicago history Museum is the work of one individual; indeed, they are only possible through the extraordinary efforts of a group of talented and dedicated staff. Timothy Long curated the exhibition and wrote this catalogue. his extensive knowledge of costume history and his enthusiasm for looking at James’s work in new ways and using new methods were key to the formation and execution of this exhibition. The staff exhibition team developed creative solutions to all aspects of the exhibition and embraced the challenge of revealing the genius hidden in James’s fashion. Designer Daniel oliver worked closely with Mr. Long and the exhibition team to give visitors a unique opportunity to understand and appreciate James and his work. Calvin gray and Rob Jeffries constructed the gallery installation, and Michael hall designed and made the unique mounts necessary to show James’s fashions to their best advantage and was integral to creating the replicas. Emily Nordstrom oversaw the editing of the exhibition labels and catalogue text, and Mark Ramirez designed the exhibition graphics. ilana Bruton led the audience research effort and developed visitor experiences for the exhibition, Sam Plourd served as collection liaison, and conservators holly Lundburg and Carol Turchan expertly prepared collection items for the exhibition. Tamara Biggs oversaw the design, graphics, and gallery installation. Phyllis Rabineau oversaw all aspects of the exhibition and led the staff through many challenges and a daunting schedule. gary Johnson, president of the Chicago history Museum, enthusiastically supported this exhibition and championed it throughout the city.
Russell Lewis Executive Vice President and Chief historian Chicago history Museum
C HA rle S J AM e S : Geniu S De C on S tru C te D
Charles Wilson Brega James was born on July 18, 1906, in Camberley, a town southwest of London, to Ralph haweis and Louise (Brega) James. his father was an English military officer; his mother, a Chicagoan from a socially prominent family. Their son retained his British citizenship throughout his life.
James received a traditional English upper-class education, ending in the 1920s at the aristocratic harrow School. There, he met and befriended the future fashion and society photographer Cecil Beaton. The two remained in the same social circles throughout most of their lives, and over the years Beaton photographed both James and his gowns. of his friend, Beaton once said, “Charlie is like a lyre in the wind, any tune can be played upon him to which he will respond.” other friends from this period of his life included the playwright and author Noel Coward and the modern painter Sir Francis Rose.
in 1924, James was expelled from harrow for misbehavior. Further educational attempts were equally unsuccessful. his parents, tired of the eighteen-year-old’s penchant for trouble, shipped him off to Chicago. James was supposed to work for Samuel insull, a local utility magnate and family friend, but after a reported single day of work, he either left or was fired.
Shortly thereafter, James launched his fashion career, opening a hat-making shop in 1926 at 1209 North State Street under the name Charles Boucheron. he borrowed this nom de couture from a school friend after his father forbade the use of the family name in the still-dubious world of fashion. he opened two more shops in Chicago before moving to New York in 1928. With his success, young James became the darling of rich women of taste from Chicago to New York to London. Dress design was his natural next stop.
in the 1930s, James began to make his mark as a couturier. he divided his time between Paris, London, and New York, designing under various names and devising intellectually refined garments. in 1934, James presented his collection in the Wedgewood Room at Marshall Field and Company. he also received his first commission for theatrical costumes.
James’s mother, Louise Brega, and her father, Charles Wilson Brega. This photograph was probably taken before her 1903 marriage to Colonel Ralph Haweis James of England.
Young Charlie James c. 1908
The 1940s and 1950s were very good to Charles James, personally and professionally. an october 1946 article in Harper’s Bazaar, illustrated with photographs by Cecil Beaton, launched James into international fame. That same year, for the first and only time, James presented a collection in Paris. World War ii had cut america off from the dominating influence of French fashion, and as a result american (or in James’s case, half-american) designers began to emerge as original voices in their own right. James was one of the most exquisite and well-received of that group. The Paris showing was so successful that Christian Dior credited James as an inspiration for his now-famous 1947 New Look collection.
on July 8, 1954, at the height of his career, Charles James married the heiress Nancy Lee gregory at the fashionable St. Bartholomew’s Church in New York City. The bride’s dress was, of course, designed by the groom. The wedding raised some eyebrows, as James had pursued romantic relationships with men prior to 1954 and continued to do so after the couple separated in 1961. While the union was not a permanent success, its two beloved children, Charles Jr. and Louise, inspired James to design children’s wear collections.
The decline of his marriage also signaled a rocky period in James’s business relationships, as demand for his work lessened. While James was heralded for his artistic talent, it was just as widely known that he was a terrible businessman. When his debts ran too high under one business operation, he would change its name in an attempt to avoid payment. if a tax collector got as far as knocking on the door, James would simply move to a new location, leaving behind a very colorful work history and many debts that were never paid.
James’s attempts to halt his slide into obscurity were largely unsuccessful. in 1970, the famed designer halston invited James, who had by that point all but fallen off the fashion map, to assist as a “consultant engineer” in the creation of a new collection to be presented at the Electric Circus in London. Like James, halston had launched his fashion career as a milliner in Chicago. Many of the garments followed older James patterns “reinterpreted” for a contemporary audience. James believed his name would appear on the garment labels alongside
James as a young boy, probably in London, c. 1911
James at work on a dress form, c. 1950
halston’s, but it did not. in the ensuing quarrel, the partnership ended bitterly with James’s assertion that halston had stolen his concepts. adding to the gall of the situation, halston was one of the first designers to reap the financial rewards of his designs through new licensing agreements, something James unsuccessfully tried to do throughout his career.
in 1974, James came to the Chicago history Museum to examine its collection of his gowns. The visit included a photograph shoot, and James’s donation of 106 original drawings by antonio Lopez, the artist with whom he worked closely to preserve his legacy in his later years. The couturier was heard to say during his stay that this was his favorite museum; though he had a reputation for so describing any institution that collected his work.
James died on September 23, 1978, in his cluttered studio apartment at New York’s Chelsea hotel, an embittered old man surrounded by star-struck young acolytes and examples of his own art—along with careful lists of the designers he believed had robbed him.
in 1983, the Brooklyn Museum of art presented a major traveling retrospective of his work. in the accompanying catalogue, museum director Michael Botwinck closed his foreword: “it must be fairly said that this project could not have been realized in James’s lifetime. he was too tragically tormented by a private set of demons to have ever allowed such a thing to come to pass. We hope now to give to his work the broad reception and recognition that is his due, but for which, when offered during his lifetime, he never had the inner peace to reach out and accept.” The exhibition traveled to the Chicago history Museum.
Many designers continue to reference Charles James both openly and opaquely each season. These include Ralph Rucci, the New York–based fashion designer who made history when he became the second american after James invited to present his collection in Paris.
James on the day of his marriage to Nancy Lee Gregory in 1954. He designed her wedding dress.
James with his son, Charles Haweis James, c. 1960. His marriage also brought him a daughter, Louise Brega James.
James with Mrs. Howard Reilly, December 17, 1957
C HA rle S Bou CH eron, M illiner
in 1926, at age nineteen, James started his fashion career as a milliner in Chicago under the nom de couture Charles Boucheron. He borrowed the surname from a school friend after his father forbade the use of the family name. James’s daring designs gained attention both in Chicago and new york, leading to a large New York Times advertisement in early 1930.
Although he designed hats for just a few years, the techniques James learned as a milliner stayed with him throughout his career. With his application of these techniques to dressmaking and his ongoing quest to push the boundaries of design, James placed himself in a unique category in the history of fashion.
James, c. 1925
Courtesy of h omer Layne
Hats
Hats, c. 1928
Wool felt
Worn by donor, Mrs. h . Pauling Donnelley 1980.261.6-7
C lient Mrs. H. Pauling Donnelley, née Helen Pauling (1891-1984)
Many of James’s first clients, including Mrs. Donnelley, were friends of his mother. These hats remained in Mrs. Donnelley’s possession for fifty years before she donated them to the Museum in 1980.
Constru C tion Less than five hats are known to exist from early in James’s career, including these two dated from around 1928. although widely attributed to James, there is a mystery surrounding their history: both contain handwritten labels featuring the name “Mme. de Launay.” in the first few years of his business, James was known to have worked with a milliner and friend of the same name, but if James owned the business beginning in 1926, why is her name handwritten on the labels? as with many of the fine details of James’s history, elements of this time in his life remain uncertain.
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Dre SS e D B y J AM e S
to be a private client of Charles James meant that you were a woman with adventuresome style, financial security, a commitment to fashion as art, and prepared to deal with one of the most difficult couturiers of the time. the process began with a formal introduction: James carefully vetted his clients to confirm that they were able to properly host his designs. for his more complicated garments, he taught clients how to walk, sit, and dance in harmony with the creation. it was even rumored that James himself would occasionally wear a dress in order to properly convey his ideas about it. for his clients, the excitement of owning a James was in the rarity of the design— an acquisition from his studio was held on the same level as a fine painting or sculpture.
Charles James had the rare distinction of being the couturiers’ couturier. His clients included Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel and elsa Schiaparelli, the leading lady haute couturiers prior to World War ii. Both women were known for their exceptional talent as dressmakers and their focus on high-level craftsmanship. to have them as clients, within his first decade of dressmaking, was a remarkable testament to James’s talent.
e vening dress
Evening dress, 1934
Silk boucle crepe
Worn by donor, Mrs. Walter S. Carr, née Mary Conway a dams 1960.435
h istory in 1934, as James’s reputation as a dressmaker was growing, his mother arranged for a showing of his collection at Marshall Field and Company. Chicago’s socialites “came to see their insouciant young friend, whose hats were thought clever but whose dresses were another thing,” wrote Elizabeth ann Coleman. James recalled it as “the biggest success i really ever had,” an unsurprising sentiment considering the value he placed on the public presentation of his work. his notes state that he created this garment, a version of a 1931 design, for the Field’s event.
in the early 1930s, James favored a specific type of cut, which he used in this evening dress. he referred to the cut as the Taxi, claiming it allowed his clients to look good during any activity—even getting in and out of a taxi.
Sponsored by Whitney Lasky, Stuart and George Mesires, Mr. and Mrs. John R. Pacholick, Linda Johnson Rice, and Melinda and Andrew Turitz
Constru C tion
Fabric, like wood, has a grain. Most pattern pieces are cut either on the straight grain or cross grain, often called bias.
James was obsessed with the cut and grain of fabric. Experimenting early in his career, he developed “Z-cut” draping. Using this technique, James manipulated two large pieces of fabric into a shapely, elegant gown. The muslin dress model (left) illustrates how the pattern pieces fit together. By slashing into the material and spreading it open, James inserted the front pattern piece (light cream) into the back (dark tan).
l a Sirène
Evening dress, c. 1941 Silk crepe, satin-backed lining Worn by donor, Mrs. William o . h unt 1959.11
h istory James launched this mermaid-like gown early in his career and created several versions of it over a period of twenty years. The name refers to sea creatures of greek mythology who used their enchanting voices to lure sailors to their deaths. The soft folds cascading around the wearer’s hips beautifully highlighted her silhouette, seducing any suitor.
Constru C tion This dress uses a series of hand-stitched horizontal pleats down the front and sleeves. although James made it to the measurements of the client, the drapery created by the pleats allowed for slight variations in the width of her hips.
Client Mrs. William O. Hunt, née Jeannette Peterkin
Sponsored by Cynthia and Benjamin Chereskin, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Waters, Mrs. Edward R. Weed, and Mr. and Mrs. Robert Zentner
Client Mrs. Albert H. Newman, née Muriel Kallis (1914–2008)
While many of the James garments in the Museum’s collection were altered to allow for a growing figure, all of Mrs. Newman’s pieces were taken in. The alterations to the hem of this dress created more of an hourglass silhouette than James had intended.
Sponsored by Catherine Eberle, Harris Private Bank, Vicki and Bill Hood, and the neapolitan collection
e mpress Josephine Sweatshirt Dress
Cocktail dress, 1953
Silk satin, wool crepe
Worn by donor, Mrs. a lbert h . Newman 1978.145.2
Constru C tion although this ensemble looks like a high-waisted skirt and satin blouse, it is actually a one-piece dress with a center back zipper. if James had not joined the blouse to the skirt, the wearer would have had to continually adjust the fit. he solved this difficulty by creating a two-layered top: the inner layer is cut tight to the body and joined to the skirt, while the outer layer is allowed to blouse but held in place by the waist seam.
h istory James first designed this ready-to-wear dress for limited commercial production by Samuel Winston. The number of copies made is unknown, but at least one additional version (in murky brown and black wool) exists in the Metropolitan Museum of art. James named it for the wife of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, who lived in an era when the waist of a fashionable woman’s ensemble was located directly under her bust. The Empire waist remains popular today.
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Clover
Evening dress, 1950
Silk satin, silk taffeta
Worn by donor, Mrs. h oward Linn, née Lucy McCormick Blair 1960.487a
Constru C tion James designed this cocktail-length dress in 1950. Four years later, he created a floor-length version for Mrs. William Randolph hearst Jr. although most fashion historians consider Mrs. hearst’s gown to be James’s first four-leaf-clover skirt, this dress is similarly constructed, suggesting that James worked with this concept for years prior to creating the more famous version.
h istory During a visit to the Museum in 1974, James noted that this dress was originally created for Marjorie Merriweather Post. a review of the interior shows numerous alterations, including a large reduction in the overall size of the torso and hips. The sleeves, which were not altered, now appear somewhat out of proportion. additionally, the dress has heavy wear in peculiar areas—along the top of the sleeves and around the neck opening. Typically, garments show wear along the hem, underarms, or collar.
Sponsored by
Mrs.
Mr. and
Daniel N. Barlow, Sophie and Jonathan Bross, Mrs. Bonnie K. Deutsch, Julie Latsko, and Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Wood-Prince
Late one night, while working on this replica, the light from the curator’s sewing machine lit the interior of the skirt like a Japanese lantern and perfectly displayed its construction.
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James considered this design to be his greatest innovation. He named it the Clover, based on the distinctive shape of the skirt when viewed from above. James constantly pushed the boundaries of dressmaking; here, he used heat-set plastic boning to retain the four-leaf-clover shape. Even today, this technique is found only in the most avant-garde fashions.
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Day dress
Day dress, 1951 Wool crepe
Worn by donor, Mrs. h oward Linn, née Lucy McCormick Blair
1959.486a-b
h istory James initially designed this as a readyto-wear dress for production by Samuel Winston. The precisely placed seams allowed the garment to be tailored to the exact measurements of its wearer. only one other version is known to still exist: angelina Jolie wore it in the 2010 movie The Tourist Jolie’s dress was reportedly a loan from Lily et Cie, a popular shop in Los angeles that specializes in vintage clothing.
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Constru C tion James created the wide curve of this collar using a hat-making technique: numerous small stitches force the material in the desired direction, similar to the way the curve of a hat’s brim is held in place. To make the slim pencil skirt wearable, he added a controlled flare of fabric to the back. The flare both allowed the wearer to walk naturally and pulled the skirt back into shape. The garment also features a curved belt, a design James used throughout his career.
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i nfanta
Evening dress, 1952
Jet bugle beads, silk tulle
Worn by donor, Mrs. Julius Epstein 1968.229
Constru C tion James covered this dress with tiny jet bugle beads from its strapped sweetheart neckline to its low hip. he created the voluminous skirt with numerous layers of fine tulle, ranging from black to orange, pink, and yellow. The interior layers were barely visible when the wearer stood still but flashed brightly when she moved. The design was intentionally flirtatious: these layers were technically petticoats, or underclothes, and not often visible during the 1950s.
h istory This dress is called “infanta,” or sometimes “Williamsburg,” referring to skirts worn at two different times in history. infanta was a title used by royal women in the seventeenth-century Spanish court, whose wide skirts are captured in paintings by Velazquez. Williamsburg refers to the eighteenth century in the United States, when women wore garments called panniers under their skirts to widen their hips.
Client Mrs. Julius Epstein, née Nancy Franklin (1920–2010)
Sponsored by Constance and E. David Coolidge III, Fashion Group Foundation of Chicago Inc., Mark Ferguson and Elizabeth Yntema Ferguson, Susan Higinbotham, and David D. Hiller
Evening dress, 1952
Silk taffeta, silk velvet, silk satin
Worn by donor, Mrs. Byron S. h arvey Jr., née Kathleen Whitcomb 1965.392
ConstruCtion James’s Pouff was considered daring for its time, as its materials—silk satin, silk velvet, and silk taffeta—were not typically combined in one garment. When viewed from above, the skirt presents an infinity symbol: its sides flare out before tapering into the center at both the front and back. James held the undulating shape in place with precisely placed rows of folded, stiffened crinoline and supported it with a multilayered petticoat.
h istory There are four known versions of this gown, including this one worn by Chicagoan Mrs. Byron harvey Jr. The others belonged to Mrs. Jean de Menil, Mrs. Cornelius Vanderbilt Whitney, and Mrs. William Randolph hearst Jr.
Sponsored by Gary and Susan Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph A. Konen Sr., Helen Harvey Mills, Erica C. Meyer and Potter Palmer, and Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan
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p etal
Evening dress, 1951
Silk velvet, silk satin, silk taffeta
Worn by donor, Mrs. Byron S. h arvey Jr. 1960.26
h istory James designed this dress for New Yorker Millicent Rogers in 1949. Two years later, the design appeared in Vogue magazine, when it was photographed by horst and included in James’s Black and White collection. James described the dress as a “curving stem of black velvet above petals of black satin, above 25 yards of blowing, billowing white taffeta.” he revived the design in 1958, as a ready-to-wear dress for the junior market.
ConstruCtion if James were not so clever, the Petal’s twenty-five yards of material would have created an undesirable bulk at the waist. he solved this by stitching most of the material to petalshaped hip panels and only one layer into the waist seam. The skirt’s tremendous weight has caused extensive damage to the interior construction. Nearly 120 hours of conservation were necessary to stabilize it for display.
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Client Mrs. Byron S. Harvey Jr., née Kathleen Whitcomb (1909–73)
Lifelong Chicagoan Mrs. Byron harvey regularly appeared on the city’s best-dressed lists. She donated three James garments to the Museum, but photographs suggest she owned at least five. Mrs. harvey was both a client of James’s and his friend. The harveys hosted a wedding reception for the newly married Charles and Nancy James in July 1954. The following october, Mrs. harvey wore her Petal gown to the Consular Ball at Chicago’s Conrad hilton hotel (above).
Sponsored by Neiman Marcus and Park Hyatt Chicago
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Butterfly
Evening dress, 1954
Silk chiffon, silk faille, DuPont nylon tulle
Worn by donor, Mrs. John V. Farwell iii , née Margaret Willing 1958.74
Client Mrs. John V. Farwell III, née Margaret Willing (1907–97)
Mrs. Farwell, a known patron of the arts, is pictured in her Butterfly gown (above) at the Museum in 1959, the year after she donated the dress. For years, the Museum hosted an annual party where attendees wore gowns they had previously donated or other items from the collection.
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h istory James originally created this gown for Mrs. William Randolph hearst Jr. for the price of $1,250. The sculptural design lives up to a comment once made by Spanish couturier Cristóbal Balenciaga, “Charles James is not only the greatest american couturier but the world’s best and only dressmaker who has raised it from an applied art form to a pure art form.” only five examples of the Butterfly are known to exist.
Constru C tion
Perhaps one of the most stunning examples of James’s work, this gown weighs nearly eighteen pounds. James held the voluminous skirt in place with two structured side wings— the dress’s most notable feature—made from nylon mesh, plastic boning, and horsehair. The Butterfly’s large quantity of nylon tulle prompted DuPont to feature the gown in advertisements throughout the 1950s.
Swan
Ball gown, 1954
Silk chiffon, silk and nylon tulle
Worn by donor, Mrs. Byron S. h arvey Jr., née Kathleen Whitcomb
1960.319
Constru C tion By far the most complex James design in the Museum’s collection, the Swan is made of more than thirty layers and nearly one hundred pattern pieces. although James usually focused on one or two concepts per design, this dress suggests that he was exploring combinations of influences and approaches. in it James expertly blended his own techniques with those popular in the past, such as “tie-back” supports, a type of bustle popular in the 1870s and 1880s.
h istory initially designed in black silk chiffon and tulle, this gown became James’s most popular custom order. Vogue featured the garment in 1951. James’s wife, Nancy, wore it in the mid-1950s and he created at least one version with a cocktail-length skirt. ironically, the Swan’s ingenious construction may also be its demise: a garment this complex presents many challenges for long-term preservation.
Sponsored by Robin Loewenberg Berger and Saks Fith Avenue
To learn more about the Swan, Museum staff traveled to Children’s Memorial Hospital to take a CT scan. The scan revealed metal stays sewn into the bodice and the top of the skirt and numerous metal straight pins left in the dress at the time of its original construction.
p agoda
Tunic suit, 1955 Wool, taffeta Worn by donor, Mrs. a lbert h . Newman, née Muriel Kallis 1978.145.1
h istory in James’s ranking of his top four creations, the Pagoda came in at number four for its emphasis on the “fine art of tailoring.” originally designed in 1954, Harper’s Bazaar featured the garment in July 1955, the same year it was purchased by Mrs. Newman. alterations to the side seams show that the circumference of the skirt was taken in for a tighter fit.
Constru C tion James considered the probability of alterations when designing ready-to-wear pieces. The tailoring of the Pagoda is both decorative and functional, allowing the wearer to obtain a custom fit by altering a few or all of the existing seams.
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Gothic
Sheath, 1955
Silk faille, cashmere
Worn by donor, Mrs. h oward Linn 1967.11
ConstruCtion although James created numerous designs for the ready-to-wear market, a closer inspection of this dress presents some clues as to why his contracts often failed. The pattern pieces are cut in a way that creates a lot of extra, unusable material. Typically, patterns for mass-produced garments are tweaked to create the least amount of waste, but James was often unwilling to alter his designs to meet others’ budgets.
h istory This sheath was made by one of James’s numerous business enterprises, Charles James Manufacturers Company, which lasted from 1955 to 1958. Lord & Taylor used the garment in advertisements in the New York Times in 1956, and Harper’s Bazaar featured an orange version said to have been designed for the american Rayon institute. Visible alterations on the skirt of this garment indicate that it was shortened.
Client Mrs. Howard Linn, née Lucy McCormick Blair (1886–1978) in 1961, a journalist observed of Mrs. howard Linn: “Seven decades is a long time to be feminine and exciting and gay, to be best-dressed, to have the figure of a young girl, to be, in the French fashion, an intriguing woman, timeless and vital.” although Mrs. Linn became a client of James starting in the 1930s, her garments in the Museum’s collection date from the 1950s. it is uncertain what happened to the remainder of her purchases.
tree
Evening dress, 1957
Silk taffeta, silk satin, nylon tulle
Worn by donor, Mrs. William Cameron CC1973.59
h istory James created his first Tree gown in 1955; this version followed two years later. he stated that the design used “faille stretched like a ruched membrane over a stiffened shell molded not to the figure of the client, but to the shape i wished it were.” he created numerous versions of this dress in various colors between 1955 and 1958. its wearers included gypsy Rose Lee and Mrs. Cornelia Vanderbilt Whitney.
Sponsored by Colonel (IL) J. N. Pritzker, IL ARNG (Retired)
Although the gathered exterior of this dress resembles the bark of a tree, its name allegedly comes from a Mrs. Marietta Tree, one of the clients who ordered it.
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C HA rle S J AM e S , en G ineer of D re SS
With the intuition of an artist and technical skill of an engineer, James built up interior layers to produce his desired silhouettes. Most of his designs were closer to sculptures than dresses; many could even stand on their own.
James, ever experimenting and always a perfectionist, cleverly minimized the difficulties presented by most ball gowns. he carefully distributed the dress’s thirteen pounds of material (the clothes you’re wearing likely wear less than a pound) and shielded the wearer’s legs from the many layers of tulle. Remarkably easy to wear, even dance in, the Tree became one of James’s most successful designs.
What’s inside?
Twenty layers. Nearly one hundred pattern pieces. New textiles (when unable to find the fabric he wanted, James stitched various materials together to create something entirely new).
To discover this, Museum staff painstakingly examined the garment and created detailed drawings of its layers. We gained unprecedented access to the interior with CT scans taken at the Field Museum of Natural history. These methods enabled us to protect the gown while identifying elements needed to create the reproduction: pattern pieces and seam lines, materials and layers.
Inner skirt: Silk taffeta, cotton crinoline, horsehair canvas, and cotton broadcloth. These materials work together to form the slim inner skirt, which serves as the foundation for the other layers. The ruffle acts as a vanity shield, keeping the wearer’s legs from being exposed.
Tulle: Six layers of tulle finish off the interior of the dress. The tulle here is white, but the original gown features white, bright pink, and red—a flirtatious flash of color and a reminder that James designed the garment for movement (see page 36).
Petticoat flare: Made of numerous layers, the petticoat carefully controls the backward flare of the skirt and holds the tulle at bay.
Flying buttresses: Two quilted pieces flank the center back seam, creating a bustle-like effect and supporting the shape of the dress. Since the panels also distributed the skirt’s weight, James called them “flying buttresses.”
iChi-64701 (detail)
m etal B oning : James used metal boning to support the shape of the bodice.
h ooks and eyes : a hook and eye is a two-part fastener consisting of a hook that catches into a loop. James used three metal hooks and eyes—one at the top, one at the waist, and one slightly below the waist—to take pressure off the zipper so it wouldn’t pop open.
Zi PP er: a metal zipper closure runs down the back of the dress.
Pins : Many small dressmaker pins were left in the dress at the time of its original construction, assumedly by mistake. iChi-64782
This CT scan, taken at the Field Museum, revealed the inner workings of the Tree.
o pera Cape
Coat, 1957
Polyester plush, polyester organza, silk satin
Worn by donor, Mrs. William R. Zwecker 1982.175.1
Constru C tion James constructed this coat using a form. after shaping the form, he draped material around it to create a pattern. The photograph at right shows James working on a similarly shaped form.
h istory in the late 1950s, James created a limited number of designs for albrecht Furs using a faux fur called Borgana, which was supplied and marketed by the company. although James liked to experiment with manmade materials for the interiors of his garments, he seldom used them on the exteriors. Three of these coats are known to exist; all are identical.
Client Peg Zwecker (1910–2010) née Margaret Sartori Bushee
Charles James, c. 1965. Courtesy of homer Layne
i mage courtesy of Bill Zwecker
Circular wrap
Coat, 1958
Silk damask
Worn by donor, Mrs. Eugene S. Davidson
1979.148.1
h istory This coat was once a set of drapes that hung in the apartment of Mrs. Potter Palmer ii, where Mrs. Eugene Davidson moved following Mrs. Palmer’s death. The drapes did not suit Mrs. Davidson, so she took them to James and asked him to create a coat for her. So much of the fine fabric was available that James used it for the exterior, facings, and lining.
iChi-62826
Constru C tion James executed the original design of this coat by cutting and pinning the material while it was draped on Lily Pons, the first to wear this design, in 1947. he continued to reproduce it: first for private clients, then for sale in department stores, and finally distributed through his own company. The last version of this design was created around 1970 for Elsa Peretti, a jewelry designer in New York.
Client Mrs. Eugene S. Davidson, née Suzette Morton Hamill Zurcher James often lived on advances from his clients, and as with Mrs. Davidson, he did not always fulfill his obligations. in 1979, in a letter included with this donation, she wrote, “[This coat] was the only item of my projected wardrobe of five or six costumes to materialize, though in response to the poor distraught genius’ pleas i had paid him the considerable total in advance!”
iChi-62803
An en G ineere D le GAC y
one of the most important figures in the preservation of James’s legacy was illustrator Antonio lopez. the two met in 1964, when lopez was an up-and-coming artist and James was slipping into obscurity. in lopez, James recognized the ability to preserve his vision of the masterpieces of his career.
the two often worked at night at James’s home in new york’s Chelsea Hotel. their sessions included a mix of clients, models, reporters, students, and friends. As clients or friends modeled James’s designs, he guided lopez’s work, pointing out important details to capture. they collaborated for more than a decade, creating hundreds of illustrations, which now reside in museums around the world. James used the donations to engineer his legacy and the subsequent tax write-offs to help him financially. in 1974, he donated 106 of lopez’s drawings to the Chicago History Museum.
a ntonio l o P e Z (1943–87)
antonio Lopez was born in Puerto Rico and moved with his family to New York City around 1950. his parents supported his artistic talent: he attended the high School of art and Design and the Fashion institute of Technology. Lopez left school to work at Women’s Wear Daily and later the New York Times his career was just taking off when he introduced himself to Charles James. By the late 1970s, Lopez’s illustrations dominated fashion, and through his work, he helped launch the careers of Jessica Lange and Jerry hall. Lopez died in 1987 of Kaposi’s sarcoma as a complication of aiDS.
Antonio Lopez, c. 1965. Courtesy of homer Layne
Dolman sleeve jacket, one figure, 1968
Conté crayon, graphite pencil, chalk g ift of Charles James, 1974.305.21a
Antonio lopez
Antonio lopez
Knit wrap dress with side hook closure, one figure, 1972
Conté crayon on laid paper g ift of Charles James, 1974.305.1b
