Exhibition Catalogue | Chicago Styled: Fashioning the Magnificent Mile® by Chicago History Museum

PETRA SLINKARD

PETRA SLINKARD

Chicago History Museum

The exhibition Chicago Styled: Fashioning the Magnificent Mile® was on display at the Chicago History Museum from November 15, 2014–August 16, 2015.

Published in the United States of America by the Chicago Historical Society

Copyright ©2014 by the Chicago Historical Society. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any matter whatsoever without the written permission of the Chicago Historical Society.

Chicago History Museum 1601 N. Clark Street Chicago, IL 60614-6038 chicagohistory.org

Director of Publications: Rosemary K. Adams

Project Editor: Gwen Ihnat

Designed and typeset by Eileen Wagner Design

Garment photography: Joseph Aaron Campbell and Stephen J. Jensen

Printed by Versa Press, East Peoria, Illinois

ISBN: 978-0-913820-40-7

Sponsors of Style

LEAD EXHIBITION SPONSOR

FRIEND

James Alexander and Curtis Drayer

Marcia Cohn

Catherine and Reed Eberle

Jacalyn and Dennis Gronek

David D. Hiller

LEAD CORPORATE SPONSOR

VISIONARY

Liz Stiffel

Abra Wilkin

PRESIDENT’S CIRCLE

Cindy and Andrew H. Kalnow

The Ralph and Ricky Lauren Foundation

Neiman Marcus

Cari and Michael J. Sacks

Susan and Robert E. Wood

Erica C. Meyer

St. John

BENEFACTOR

Choose Chicago

Courtney and Tobin E. Hopkins

Judith and Joseph Konen

Nena Ivon

Gretchen Jordan

Stuart and George Mesires

INTREN

Thom Pegg

April T. Schink

Diane Sprenger and Terry Budney

Robin and Mark Tebbe

Noren and Richard Ungaretti

PATRON

Constance Barkley

Laura Barnett Sawchyn

Margaret and Christopher Block

Margaret Buckman

Victoria Fesmire

Leslie E. Morasca

Mary Niehaus and Sanjeev U. Pandey

Carol Prins and John Hart

Pauline Kurtides Sheehan

Brian D. White

Leslie and Robert Zentner

Karen Zupko

Foreword

Russell Lewis

No single grand vision inspired the development of North Michigan Avenue during the last century. Daniel Burnham’s 1909 plan envisioned an elegant boulevard with buildings of uniform height that would be a Chicago equivalent of Paris’s ChampsÉlysées. It was eclipsed, however, in the 1920s by the North Central Business District Association’s efforts to attract developers to build soaring buildings reflecting an economy of scale, new construction technology, and a modernist aesthetic. This building frenzy came to a crashing halt in the Great Depression. North Michigan Avenue suffered acutely as many of the buildings went bankrupt during the weakened economy, becoming a symbol of the lavish excess that gripped the nation and defined the decade of the 1920s. Seizing on Depression-era prices, Arthur Rubloff brought extensive parcels of land lining North Michigan Avenue with the aim of re-inventing it from the river to Oak Street. His Magnificent Mile development project embraced the land-clearance ethos of post-war America and envisioned an urban landscape of low-rise buildings 1

Although these three distinct visions each reflected different local and national changes and developments, they shared the belief that North Michigan Avenue was Chicago’s future. While Chicago’s unprecedented nineteenth-century growth had been driven by the fusion of urbanization and industrialization, during twentiethcentury Chicago’s urban development was tied to retail, and North Michigan Avenue became the locus of the expansion and evolution of the city’s shopping district. Women’s clothing stores were a prominent feature of this new area that sought to rival State Street. According to Polk’s Directory of Chicago, 1928–29, more than thirty dress shops, furriers, and dressmakers lined North Michigan Avenue, including Martha Weathered Shop, Gertrude Kopelman, and Mitzi Frocks.2

Although the architecture of North Michigan Avenue did not develop as Rubloff had envisioned, the avenue nevertheless fulfilled his dream of creating a destination and a world-class center for shopping, culture, and good taste. The John Hancock

Center, which singlehandedly and dramatically changed the scale of North Michigan Avenue, served as an alluring beacon for the revitalized avenue and marked the shift from State Street to north of the river as the place of fashion and the fashionable. With the erection of Water Tower Place, 1974–76, the realization of North Michigan Avenue as the center of Chicago’s future was in full swing.

The formation of the Costume Council at the Chicago History Museum in 1974 reflected the growing enthusiasm for the burgeoning fashion scene along North Michigan Avenue and the recognition that a unique opportunity to build the Museum’s costume collection had arrived. Over the past four decades, the Costume Council has flourished and made its mark in Chicago fashion. More importantly, it has been a critical and undivided supporter of the Chicago History Museum and its costume collection. Thanks to the Council’s ongoing strong leadership, the Museum’s costume holdings have risen in popularity and stature, becoming one of the world’s premier collections of fashion. Chicago Styled: Fashioning the Magnificent Mile® weaves these two narratives of urban development and museum stewardship into a single compelling story of the transformation of the city.

This exhibition is a congratulatory hymn to the Costume Council on its fortieth anniversary. On behalf of the staff and Board of Trustees of the Museum, we join the chorus of well-wishers in offering our heartfelt thank you for this remarkable record of achievement and support, and we know the Council will continue to amaze and dazzle us over the next four decades. We are also extremely grateful to the Sponsors of Style who have generously adopted one of the garments in the exhibition.

While any exhibition of this scale and complexity requires a veritable army of staff to produce, two people are largely responsible for its vision and development. Nena Ivon, president of the Costume Council, has been a stalwart champion of the costume collection and making it more accessible to the public. She conceived the idea of mounting an exhibition that would chronicle the forty years of the Costume Council and ensured that the Council would provide the financial resources to make it possible. We are grateful for her ongoing leadership and for her enthusiasm, devotion, and energy, attributes that have become hallmarks of all of her work with the Council.

Ms. Ivon’s partner in this exhibition endeavor is Costume Curator Petra Slinkard. She combed through the exhaustive list of items acquired during the forty years the Costume Council has been active and developed the brilliant approach that the stories of the Magnificent Mile and the Costume Council mirrored each other and could be intertwined into a single narrative. Ms. Slinkard’s extensive knowledge of costume history and her keen curatorial insights are evident throughout the exhibition. Katy Werlin provided critical curatorial assistance for this project.

President Gary Johnson joined Ms. Ivon in promoting the idea of a celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the Costume Council, and his enthusiasm for the exhibition has only grown. Phyllis Rabineau, vice president for interpretation and education, oversaw all aspects of the exhibition from start to finish and provided constructive suggestions when they were most critical to the success of the project. Tamara Biggs and John Russick led the exhibition team through its paces and provided essential guidance to the exhibition design and production and curatorial components in their respective roles as director of exhibitions and director of curatorial affairs.

Rob Jeffries created an inventive exhibition design that showcases the elegance of the costumes while evoking the urban landscape of the Magnificent Mile. Daniel Oliver drew on his extensive designer experience to help mentor Mr. Jeffries through the design process. Mark Ramirez developed a compelling design for the exhibition labels and managed graphic production. Calvin Gray oversaw the production of the exhibition; Dean Brobst, Adam Seidman, William D. Stafford, and Joshua Anderson prepared the gallery. Emily Nordstrom served as label editor, and Rosemary Adams, director of publications, worked with catalogue designer Eileen Wagner to develop an elegant look for this publication, as well as with Ms. Ivon and Ms. Slinkard to craft compelling essays. Gwen Ihnat copyedited the contents and managed production of the catalogue.

Costume Collection Manager Jessica Pushar played an essential role in locating costume items and helping to prepare them for exhibition. Holly Lundberg performed a conservation assessment of all of the garments and oversaw all of the treatments. She was ably assisted by Fredi Leaf, Mia Mehta, Nancy Buenger, and Paula Horecny; Emma Denny worked on mounting the garments for display. Joseph Campbell and Stephen Jensen took the compelling photographs of the

costumes that grace the pages of this catalogue, and Lesley Burr and Ilana Bruton provided ongoing advice and support throughout the project.

A special thanks goes out to the staff of the Chicago History Museum whose commitment to excellence and devotion to sharing Chicago stories have made this exhibition possible.

RUSSELL LEWIS

Executive Vice President and Chief Historian

Chicago History Museum

1. Rubloff hired Holabird & Root to develop his 1947 Magnificent Mile plan.

2. See John W. Stamper, Chicago’s North Michigan Avenue: Planning and Development, 1900-1930 (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1991), 199–201.

THE COSTUME COUNCIL OF THE CHICAGO HISTORY MUSEUM

The First Forty Years

Nena Ivon

In 1974, Mrs. Philip K. Wrigley and the Guild of the Chicago History Museum founded the Costume Council as an active support group for the Costume Collection.* The committee was formed to “further develop the Museum’s Costume Collection, particularly through the acquisition of contemporary dress, and to support the costume department’s activities.” The first major exhibition, Chicagoans in Paris, featured garments that Chicagoans purchased on their trips abroad. One

* Both the Chicago History Museum and the Costume Council have undergone name changes over the past forty years. For clarity’s sake, we will refer to each by their current names.

of the garments shown was a rare 1937 Schiaparelli two-piece gown embroidered with Jean Cocteau’s design of the profile of a woman’s head and her flowing hair.

Forty years ago, who knew that a relatively small, unknown costume collection would become the second largest costume collection in the world? The name of the organization has changed several times, the Museum has evolved, galleries have come and gone and come back again, curators have had different visions of collecting. During all this, the collection has grown, prospered, and entered the digital age stronger than ever.

It all began in 1972 when the Chicago History Museum was awarded two grants, totaling eighteen thousand dollars, from the National Endowment for the Arts. Matching funds were received from the Sears, Roebuck and Company Foundation and from the Museum’s special fund. The long-term goal of the grants was to enable the Museum to establish its costume department as a major center for fashion research. To implement the grants, costume curators from nationally prominent museums were invited to a four-day conference in Chicago in January 1973 to analyze the collection and to establish guidelines and collecting policies. They were: Adolph S. Cavallo, former chairman of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, and of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, who served as project coordinator; Stella Blum, associate curator, Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; J. Herbert Callister, curator of textiles and costumes, The Wadsworth Athenaeum, Hartford, Connecticut; and Christa Mayer-Thurman, curator of textiles, The Art Institute of Chicago. The Chicago History Museum’s costume curator, Carol A. Myers, served as the project director.

This two-piece 1937 Schiaparelli gown embroidered with a Jean Cocteau design was part of the exhibition Chicagoans in Paris.

Detail of the exquisite embroidery on a court presentation gown by Jacques

A quote from their report reads: “The summary report confirmed the Chicago History Museum’s reputation for having one of the finest costume collections in the country, but they also found that many of the 12,000 cataloged items (40%) were duplicate representations, or were deteriorated beyond the point of restoration.” In addition, they pointed out the strengths and weaknesses of the collection and recommended guidelines for future collecting. The committee stated that “the collection’s strength begins in the 1870s.” They rated the Worth collection as “impressive, even when compared to holdings in better known collections. In addition, the collection is rich in fine garments from 1900 to 1940, including rare examples by Adrian, Balenciaga, Callot Soeurs, Chanel, Dior, Doucet, Molyneux, Poiret, Schiaparelli and Vionnet.”

The collection itself was established in 1920 when the Chicago History Museum received important clothing and accessories related to American history, including George Washington’s inauguration suit, as part of its acquisition of the Charles Gunther Collection. The genesis of the collection was and has continued to be Chicago- and Illinois-related. It has always blended high-fashion garments along with pieces worn by Chicagoans. Included in the collection are uniforms, servants garments, and sports memorabilia. Other notable pieces include items from the wardrobe of socialite and philanthropist Bertha (Mrs. Potter) Palmer, including her diamond dog-

collar necklace, Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat, and stunning examples from all the major designers of the late nineteenth century and all of the twentieth century, many of whom donated special pieces to the collection. In addition, there are pieces from Chicago-based designers and the work of students from Chicago-area fashion design schools. In the 1950s, the Fashion Group of Chicago provided funds to establish a costume library and study area. Peg Zwecker, fashion editor of the Chicago Daily News, obtained an exquisite set of the popular U.S. First Ladies gowns from the Smithsonian, at the time valued at $100,000. The Chicago History Museum is the only institution to have such a collection, which was exhibited in 1973.

Under the guidance of Hanchen (Mrs. Gardner) Stern, the second chairman of the Costume Council, the heads and fashion directors of the city’s foremost retailers, Chicago-based designers, writers, and others in the fashion field were invited to be the nucleus of a new subcommittee. At a meeting at Saks Fifth Avenue, according to Mrs. Stern, “a carefully chosen group of chic, able and active young women has been added.” The Executive Committee was formed to place more emphasis on fundraising, programs, and exhibitions, “as well as making the city and nation more aware of our outstanding collection.” The Executive Committee’s first meeting was held in May 1975 at the opening of an exhibition of Chinese robes called The Chinese Connection

This resulted in the first benefit for the Costume Council, Marshall Field & Co.’s Fall International Designer Collection, on September 3, 1975, at the State Street store. A press party at the Museum featured garments from the costume collection dating from 1877 to 1914 that had been purchased at Marshall Field’s and worn by prominent Chicagoans. The garments were exhibited in the Museum’s alcoves.

The next exhibition displayed gowns donated by the Honorable Clare Boothe Luce followed by the exhibition The Richness of Velvet featuring nine gowns from the collection. During Hanchen Stern’s six-year

Doucet, part of the Museum’s extensive costume collection.

tenure as chairman of the Costume Council, the group sponsored seventeen exhibitions covering many subjects, from Bes-Ben millinery to a retrospective of the popular Rush-Presbyterian–St. Luke’s fashion show. Most notably, the spectacular 1978 exhibition Eight Chicago Women and Their Fashions, 1860–1929, featured garments plus accessories that had been worn by the city’s arbiters of style and who were major contributors to the development of culture and society in Chicago and Illinois. In conjunction with this exhibition, the council hosted a Costume Society of America Symposium that brought fashion scholars, museum curators, and university professionals from across the United States and around the world to Chicago. The Costume Council helped underwrite this exhibition. According to a Costume Council annual report “although regional in scope, the depth of the Collection is considerable, reflecting the cosmopolitan tastes and high standards of Chicagoans in selecting their wardrobes throughout the years.”

In 1983, the Museum hosted a magnificent exhibition from the Brooklyn Museum’s Costume Collection: The Genius of Charles James, curated by Elizabeth Ann Coleman of the Brooklyn Museum and Elizabeth Jachimovitz, the Chicago History Museum’s costume curator. This was the first of only two exhibitions to feature non–Chicago History Museum collections; the second was Inspiring Beauty: 50 Years of Ebony Fashion Fair (2013). It was also the first of two Charles James exhibitions displayed at the Museum. In 2012, Charles James: Genius Deconstructed opened. Finally, it was the first of two successful institutional collaborations; the second was Chic Chicago, which opened at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) before its successful presentation in Chicago. Co-curated by the Museum’s Timothy Long and the director of the FIT Fashion Museum, Valerie Steele, the exhibition received an Award of Excellence from the American Alliance of Museums and was featured on the cover of the group’s magazine, Museum News.

On Friday, February 4, 1977, the Council presented its first major benefit, chaired by Abra

Prentice Wilkin. The black-tie event was hosted by I. Magnin and featured an appearance and fashion show by Ralph Lauren. More than 230 guests attended this special event at the Museum, and it was the precursor of the very popular and successful Donors’ Ball which began its ten-year reign in 1979. The Donors’ Ball became one of the city’s most spectacular social events and was a unique event in many ways. Perhaps its most important feature was the Fashion Show, which not only featured garments that had been specially curated for each gala but were worn, for the last time, by the donor or another prominent Chicagoan. Competition was fierce with prospective donors wanting their special garments included. The shows were presented on the Museum’s Arthur

Victor Skrebneski, Bonnie Deutsch, and Mrs. Donna L. (Sugar) Rautbord, with James Galanos receiving the first Costume Committee Award for Design Excellence in a special ceremony at the Donors’ Ball on November 20, 1992.

Abra Prentice Wilkin with Ralph Lauren, 1977. Photograph by Dick Paul.

One groundbreaking Costume Council event featured invitations created in collaboration with the extraordinary photographer Victor Skrebneski.

Rubloff Auditorium stage, and the gala attendance was limited to the 440 seats available in the theater. The shows were divided into scenes to reflect the variety of garments such as daywear, ballgowns, bridal, and other, and were introduced by the witty and caustic Keith Stocker. The theme-setting invitations were created in collaboration with the extraordinary photographer Victor Skrebneski.A black-tie sit-down dinner was held in elegant spaces throughout the museum, and dancing, usually to the Stanley Paul Orchestra, followed dinner in yet another space. The Donors’ Ball remained a highlight of the social season throughout its history.

Beginning in 1992, a series of Designer of Excellence Award galas featured prominent designers. Honorees included James Galanos (Uniformly Feminine: The Fashions of Mainbocher appeared in the Costume Alcoves); followed by Christian Lacroix (1993), sponsored by Marshall Field’s; Sonia Rykiel (1994), sponsored by the Sonia Rykiel Boutique

and Joan Weinstein; Hubert du Givenchy (1995), sponsored by Saks Fifth Avenue; Geoffrey Beene (1996); and Bill Blass (1997), sponsored by Neiman Marcus at The Fairmont Hotel. The awards themselves were created by Cartier. The Designer of Excellence Award was reestablished when the Costume Council honored Ralph Rucci at the 2011 Costume Ball.

Over the years, the Costume Council has formed long-standing and successful relationships with the

B. Green-Field with Mrs. Andrew Loring Rowe

and Hanchen

April 14, 1976.

Benjamin

(Barbara)

Stern.

Lawrie Weed, Fiona McCarthy, Abra Prentice Wilkin, Keith Stoker, Hanchen Stern, Martin Gapshis, Ellen Ross, and Bonnie Deutsch.

Chicago retail community, which continue to this day. These began with Marshall Field & Co. Since its formation, the retailers of the Magnificent Mile have been the backbone of major fundraising for the Costume Council. I. Magnin, Bonwit Teller, Stanley Korshak, and the local boutiques were more than generous in sponsoring events in their stores, hosting designer personal appearances, and underwriting the Designer of Excellence Awards. In 1984, the Council hosted an auction of Bes-Ben’s collections and presented an exhibition of his work, The Wit and Fantasy of Benjamin Green-Field. Tiffany & Co. has presented special programs and made major donations. More recently, Burberry entertained the Council, as have Lanvin, Hermes, Giorgio Armani, Chanel, Van Cleef & Arpels, Pomellato, Circa, J. Crew, neapolitan, and chalk.

Three retailers in particular have been major benefactors in their support of the Costume Council: Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Neiman Marcus sponsored Bill Blass’s Designer of Excellence Award, consistently supports Sponsors of Style, and has hosted many events for the Council, including a Carolina Herrera personal appearance and fashion show, a Ralph Rucci personal appearance, and a successful Derek Lam personal appearance and fashion show. Nordstrom’s relationship with Costume Council began in 2001 with a fashion show at the Chicago Hilton, followed by three years at the Drake Hotel, one year at the Palmer House, and three years at the Museum. The last of these hugely successful designer fashion shows was in 2008. All the shows were extremely popular. Saks Fifth Avenue has been another enthusiastic supporter of the Costume Council. The store brought Christian Lacroix to Chicago for his first prêt-à-porter collection in 1989, sponsored Jacqueline de Ribes’ first and only visit to Chicago with her prêt-à-porter collection, and underwrote Geoffrey Beene’s first appearance for the Council. The Council also benefited from the

Abra Prentice Wilkin backstage at the 1981 Donors’ Ball.

An undated photograph of the fashion show at the Donors’ Ball.

Arthur Rubloff with Christina Kemper Gidwitz at the Donors’ Ball, May 1980.

Chicago store’s fiftieth anniversary celebration held in 1979 and from its 1990 Chicago Place opening party. Saks Fifth Avenue also underwrote the Hubert du Givenchy Designer of Excellence Award in 1995. In recent years, the retailer has continued to introduce new designers to the Costume Council, including Zang Toi and Wes Gordon, and has been an active supporter of Sponsors of Style.

In 1998, the Council hosted An Evening with George and Sally to celebrate the opening of the What George Wore and Sally Didn’t: Surprising Stories from America’s Past and Form Follows Fashion exhibitions. The evening’s program described the George and Sally exhibition: “Complements and contrasts are everywhere…George Washington’s fancy waistcoat kept our founding father looking presidential, while the movements of dancer Sally Rand’s fans just kept them looking. At the heart of the Museum’s twenty million artifacts are treasures representing stories ridiculous and profound, well-known and unknown, tender and tragic.…This exhibit offers a peek into some of the quirkiest items in the collection. It offers a mix of unusual and curious artifacts that chronicle

surprising stores of America’s past—many on view for the very first time.” Form Follows Fashion featured eight designer ensembles from the collection that were displayed in the Costume Alcoves.

The Costume Collection’s prestige has increased as pieces have been exhibited in major museum exhibitions. Paul Poiret’s 1913 “Sorbet” gown, thought to be the first haute couture dress to be worn without a corset, was prominently displayed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s major Poiret exhibition (2007). More recently, two rare Charles James hats were on display at the Met’s James exhibition, both produced during his early Chicago millinery career. These loans, over the years, have increased the visibility of the collection and of the Chicago History Museum across the country and around the world.

The Costume Council also hosted five Fashion Sale Extraordinaire fundraisers, featuring donated pieces from top American and European designers. In addition, many guest speakers—from Elsa Klensch to Hamish Bowles—have entertained and informed the fashion-savvy audiences.

Beverly

Not everything has been glamorous. The Costume Council has raised money to support staff positions that help acquire, care for, and preserve collection items. The Council has also helped to begin the monumental task of digitally photographing the collection to increase its online visibility. In addition, the Council has provided funding for the outstanding publications that accompany the exhibitions, which extend the reach of the exhibitions beyond the Museum’s walls to people who cannot see the actual show and, of course, provide permanent documentation of the collection.

In 2006, after a several year hiatus, the Council returned to funding exhibitions in its new permanent home, the Costume and Textile Gallery, on the main floor of the newly renovated Chicago History Museum. This initiative began with the revival of exhibitions from Dior: The New Look in 2006 through Chicago Styled: Fashioning the Magnificent Mile in 2014 The first exhibition in the new gallery was Dior: The New Look, which focused on the designer’s impact in Chicago and his relationship

Blettner poses next to the Museum’s stunning Poiret gown, “Sorbet.” Photographed by Victor Skrebneski, the image appeared in Town & Country in 1984.

with local department stores, particularly Marshall Field, and launched the successful Sponsors of Style fundraising initiative. This program gives individuals, retailers, and corporations the opportunity to receive benefits such as sponsoring a garment on display or having a private tour of the Costume Collection with the curator, by donating at various monetary levels.

In 2008, Chic Chicago: Couture Treasures from the Chicago History Museum appeared on the second floor of the Museum. The year 2009 featured Bertha Honoré Palmer in the Costume and Textile Gallery and included some of Mrs. Palmer’s magnificent Charles Frederick Worth gowns along with examples of her exquisite jewels and accessories. In 2010, I Do! Chicago Ties the Knot was displayed in a large gallery on the Museum’s second floor and featured the many looks of bridal attire and etiquette from 1853 to 2009. In 2011, the exhibition Charles James: Genius Deconstructed not only highlighted the talent of a master couturier and the Museum’s amazing collection of his garments (one of which was put through an x-ray process at the Field Museum to show the details of construction), but also reinstated the opening-night gala, now named The Costume Ball. This time the gala took place in a tent on Uihlein Plaza on the east side of the Museum as well as in the adjacent Chicago Room.

In 2013, the largest and perhaps the most unique of the Museum’s costume exhibitions and certainly one of the most popular, Inspiring Beauty: Fifty Years of Ebony Fashion Fair, opened. This show featured sixty-seven mannequins, the largest exhibition the Costume Council has sponsored, outfitted in garments, mostly haute couture, from the unique traveling fashion show known as the Ebony Fashion Fair. All pieces were originally chosen for the Fashion Fair presentations by Eunice Johnson whose incredible eye for trend-setting, amazingly beautiful garments and impeccable sense of style made the Fashion Fair shows legendary. This outstanding exhibition is traveling to seven cities, all of which hosted the original Ebony Fashion Fair fashion shows! In addition, at its 2014 symposium,

The Costume Council helps fund the Museum’s vital work in preserving valuable fashion collections such as this specially designed shoe storage.

the Costume Society of America’s bestowed on Inspiring Beauty the prestigious Richard Martin Exhibition Award, which recognizes outstanding costume exhibitions.

The 2014 exhibition, Chicago Styled: Fashioning the Magnificent Mile® , returns to the Costume and Textile Gallery and explores, through more than twenty garments, the development of North Michigan Avenue into one of the country’s most recognized and renowned fashion destinations.

In closing, the Costume Council, its visionary past presidents, and its Executive Board working with the extraordinary costume curators and staff of the Chicago History Museum, led by President Gary Johnson, must be applauded for their dedication, perseverance, and foresight in supporting the Costume Collection of the Chicago History Museum. The Council’s forty years of forward-thinking has not only raised money but has increased the visibility of the collection and transformed it into one of the jewels in the world of clothing collections, conservation, and exhibition. One can only wonder what the next forty years will bring!

COSTUME COUNCIL PRESIDENTS

1974–present

Helen Wrigley

Hanchen Stern

Hope B. McCormick

Abra Prentice Wilkin

Lawrie Weed

Beverly Blettner

Bonnie Deutsch

Laura Barnett Sawchyn

Cynthia Hedlund

Allison Campbell de Frise

April T. Schink

Noren Ungaretti

Nena Ivon

COSTUME COLLECTION CURATORS

Phyllis Healy 1932–72

Carol A. Myers 1972–73

Elizabeth Jachimovitz 1973–89

Barbara Schreier 1991–94

Susan Samek 1994–97

Timothy Long 2005–12

Petra Slinkard 2013–present

Petra Slinkard

“Upper

Michigan will be properly designed for magnificence, dignity, and character and will be like no other commercial thoroughfare in the world.” —Arthur Rubloff, 1947

THE FASHIONING OF BOUL’ MICH

By the turn of the twentieth century, Chicago’s Near North Side—later known as the Gold Coast—had replaced Prairie Avenue as the home to some of Chicago’s wealthiest families. The transitioning neighborhood was at the time connected to the central business district (now known as The Loop) only by the Rush Street Bridge. But by 1920, the newly opened Michigan Avenue Bridge linking South Michigan Boulevard with Pine Street (later renamed North Michigan Avenue) created a direct route from the Gold Coast into Chicago’s downtown. The Greater North Michigan Avenue Association (GNMAA), founded to plan and promote the development and beautification of Michigan Avenue, recognized the budding opportunity and started to endorse the corridor as a “the majestic thorough-fare.” Referencing the 1909 Plan of Chicago, which depicted Michigan Avenue as a “wide boulevard emulating Paris’ pedestrian-friendly, Champs-Élyseés,” members of the Association believed that with vision and proper planning, North Michigan Avenue could become just that, Chicago’s own grand boulevard.

North Michigan Avenue saw a moderate building boom in the 1920s, resulting in the opening of several specialty shops geared toward the wealthy elite. As early as 1923, the Chicago Daily Tribune heralded Upper Michigan Avenue as “a place of distinction renown all its own among the Style Streets of the World.” The new construction with street-level displays to entice the passersby, prompted wellestablished local boutiques like Blum’s Vogue and Stanley Korshak to relocate or expand their operations north. The burgeoning area, fashioned around commerce and high style, also captured the attention of national investors as well. By 1929,

The North Michigan Avenue Association enthusiastically welcomed the store in a Chicago Daily Tribune announcement: “Chicago’s most beautiful shopping section, welcomes a Great New Store…Michigan Avenue salutes you Bonwit Teller.” August 23, 1949

Arthur Rubloff, a member of the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association, is credited with coining the famous moniker “The Magnificent Mile.” Rubloff proposed the slogan as a way to brand the avenue. The organization voted (16 yes, 7 no) and adopted the slogan in 1950.

New York’s prosperous upscale specialty store Saks Fifth Avenue—one of the first retailers to expand within the United States—selected North Michigan Avenue as the location for its first year-round store outside of Manhattan. But as quickly as the avenue gained momentum, it was lost with the onset of the Great Depression and the United States’ entry into World War II.

THE MODERN MILE

Halted development in the 1930s and 1940s resulted in a glut of vacant and foreclosed real estate. Perceptive businessmen such as Arthur Rubloff acquired much of the underutilized properties. With the intention of energizing the avenue and bringing in new businesses, Rubloff, who helped lead the charge for the transformation of North Michigan, outlined his plan in a speech to the GNMAA in April 1947. He called for a street “lined primarily with smart shops, giving the strip a quality atmosphere not unlike that of Upper Fifth Avenue, New York, or Wilshire Boulevard of Los Angeles.” Acknowledging the role high-end retail would play in this revitalization, he proudly announced the sale of land on the northwest corner of Upper Michigan Avenue and Pearson Street for use by the esteemed New York retailer Bonwit Teller. The high-quality women’s specialty store opened on Michigan Avenue in 1949. By the 1950s and 1960s, the Magnificent Mile’s advancement into a destination for fashionable luxury goods was well underway.

THE RISE OF THE MILE

Concurrent to North Michigan Avenue’s transformation, the American fashion industry exploded in the postwar era, as many European houses were forced to shutter during the tumultuous period. Independent from the dictates of Parisian houses, coupled with a stable manufacturing base, American designers—and retailers who supported them—prospered. The postwar era also saw enormous growth to the Chicago suburbs and with that progress, the success of outlying shopping centers. In response, the Greater North Michigan Avenue Association identified

Aerial view of North Michigan Avenue, 1933. Saks Fifth Avenue can be seen just north of the historic Water Tower at its Michigan Avenue location at the corner of Michigan and Chestnut.

West Coast specialty store

I. Magnin announced its arrival to the avenue, 1971. “The moment you step in the door you’ll know by the service, the smiles,the sounds, you could be nowhere in the world but I. Magnin.”

the need to refocus energy on the city. Adventurous businessmen took advantage of a loophole in zoning laws for the area—carried over from the 1920s—that placed minimal restrictions on height for new construction. The construction of the John Hancock Center became one of the most noteworthy turning points in the redevelopment. Opened in 1970, the building was the avenue’s first mix-use skyscraper, combining office, residential, and retail space within one structure. Initially snubbed by critics and locals alike, the behemoth soon became a beacon for Magnificent Mile tourism: a symbol of progress and prosperity that attracted new residents and businesses.

Shortly after the Hancock Center opened, Bonwit Teller moved from its location at the corner of Michigan and Pearson into the base of the tower. In their wake, a number of businesses like Chicago cosmetics company Jovan, Inc., moved their headquarters into the building. A year later, I. Magnin, a West Coast specialty store with a reputation for selling the highest quality goods, opened in the old Bonwit building. Their move to Chicago signified an impending influx of national and international brands to open on what was becoming the city’s most stylish street. Expressing pride and camaraderie, Bonwit welcomed their new neighbor with an advertisement in the Chicago Tribune, boasting the address as one of international distinction.

In response to the increasing popularity of Michigan Avenue, Marshall Field & Co. approached real-estate developer Philip Morris Klutznick about opening a new store on the street (a mere 1.2 miles from its State Street flagship store). The plan was unprecedented and the outcome extraordinary. Positioned directly across the street from its namesake, the Water Tower Pumping Station, Water Tower Place was one of the first and largest vertical malls to open in the United States. The venture was risky—both the design and the concept of a vertical mall were revolutionary—making merchants wary of committing to expensive leases with an undocumented proof of return. At the time of its opening, only two merchants, Marshall Field & Co. and Lord & Taylor, occupied the 758,000-square-foot shopping mall. But that didn’t stop Chicagoans from celebrating. When Water Tower Place opened with a private reception

Illustration from Rubloff plan for the Magnificent Mile.

on October 20, 1975, Chicago Tribune style reporter Bess Winakor was on hand. Winakor noted attendees’ reactions: Bonnie Swearingen, whose husband John was chairman of Standard Oil of Indiana, said, “The entrance is like walking into fairyland.” Mrs. Louise Smith, wife of Mr. Edward Byron Smith, called it “the most sensational, terrific, unbelievable place I’ve ever been.” The mall expanded the street by offering essentially another mile of prime real estate boasting a Michigan Avenue address. Nearly all the vacant storefronts were leased by February 1976. In an October 1975 edition of the Chicago Sun-Times, Executive Director of GNMAA Nelson Forrest reported the volume of sales within the area was $83 million. He anticipated the arrival of Water Tower Place would double that number as early as 1977: “[Water Tower Place] will make Michigan Avenue the most desirable shopping attraction in the Midwest and will draw fashionconscious people from all over the country.” By 1978, notable high-end brands, such as André Courrèges and Halston (his first store outside of Manhattan), opened boutiques in the building. The opening of Water Tower Place reshaped and refocused the future development for North Michigan Avenue. It was a sensation.

By the 1970s, the number of people living, working, dining, and shopping along the Magnificent Mile was remarkable. Within the one-mile area, eighty stores flanked the avenue, offering shoppers a bonanza of designer labels. In 1975, the Chicago Sun-Times reported on a visit to the city by French designer (Hubert) de Givenchy, who commented, “Chicago women are fortunate to have such variety of international styles in one spot.” It was a prolific period, led by the influx of new businesses. Fashion insiders were filled with excitement and anticipation: who would open next? By 1983, the Chicago Tribune described Michigan Avenue and the surrounding area as “rapidly becoming a who’s who of American retailing.” The same year, after nearly ten years of planning, Neiman Marcus opened its doors at the corner of Michigan and Superior to a reported fifteen thousand people. At the time, it was the largest Neiman’s store outside of Texas. Following suit, Bloomingdale’s opened its first Midwest location in 1989 in the newly constructed 900 Shops, trailed by Barneys, who chose Oak Street for its first flagship location outside of Manhattan in 1993.

The future site of Neiman Marcus at the base of the Allerton Hotel. Thirty years later the department store hosted their grand opening on November 5, 1983, as a benefit for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with more than two thousand guests in attendance.

Looking east from 102 E. Oak Street, Aug 30, 1970.

I GOT IT ON OAK STREET

“Oak Street means elegance, fashion and exceptional service.” It is an “oasis of style… in the heart of the Windy City.” – Los Angeles Times, 1988

Oak Street grew in tandem with Michigan Avenue, but in a spirit all its own. Much of the street’s modern character can be attributed to the Oak Street Council, founded in the late 1980s in response to the rumored arrival of Bloomingdale’s within the 900 Shops at the corner of Michigan and Walton. Led by inspired and devoted entrepreneurs—including cosmetics magnate Marilyn Miglin, retail legend Joan Weinstein of Ultimo, and fashion-model-turned-boutique-owner Terri D’Ancona—the Oak Street merchants banded together, devising a plan to set their location apart. With a grant from the city, the council reinvigorated the district’s distinctiveness by widening sidewalks, planting trees, and installing European-style streetlights. With new structures in place and boasting a fresh identity, the organization turned Oak Street into another highly desirable location for upscale retail.

Marketing campaigns such as the Oak Street Council’s widely heralded fashion show helped promote the prestige of the area. This short street, composed of unassuming brownstones compacted by massive Michigan Avenue skyscrapers, is currently home to a number of notable international luxury brands, such as Prada, Hermès, and the most recent addition, Dolce & Gabbana, while continuing to support local favorites such as Lester Lampert Custom Jewelry, discount beauty supply store Bravco, and the Marilyn Miglin Institute. Boosted by the continuing success of the Magnificent Mile and the Council’s efforts, Oak Street transitioned into one of the most prestigious retailing addresses in the world.

MAGNIFICENTLY MODERN

During the last forty years, Chicago’s status as a noteworthy location for international fashion has been thoroughly established through the development of North Michigan Avenue and adjacent Oak Street. The evolution of the Magnificent Mile into an epicenter for progress and accessibility reflects a dynamic period of change and prosperity. The clothing collected by the Chicago History Museum during this time represents the sophisticated tastemakers who supported and encouraged Michigan Avenue’s transition into one of the world’s top destinations for high-end retail.

This exhibition and others that feature the Museum’s world-renowned costume collection have been made possible for the past forty years through the generous support of the Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum.

“Upper Michigan will be properly designed for magnificence, dignity and character and will be like no other commercial thoroughfare in the world.” —Arthur Rubloff, 1947

Mr. Harry H. Blum (1878–1966) and his wife, Becky (1885–1981), opened their highly successful specialty store in 1910 on South Michigan Boulevard. Adventurous and open-minded, the couple expanded their operation to North Michigan Avenue in 1931, making them one of the earliest high-end retailers to anchor the street.

Indicative of the couple’s keen eye and sensitivity to trend, the store carried the work of James Galanos as early as 1952. Known for his impeccable aesthetic and detailed construction, Galanos reached critical international acclaim by 1957. This gown epitomizes the 1950s hourglass silhouette, taking its shape from Christian Dior’s postwar fashion revelation, The New Look. The donor, Mrs. Philip D. Block Jr., wore this dress to the Commercial Club of Chicago (founded in 1877) after her husband was made a member. The silk chiffon panel was added to the dress at the donor’s request. She preferred a less bare look.

Blum’s Vogue

Cocktail dress, c. 1955

James Galanos, American (b. 1924)

Gift of Mrs. Philip D. Block Jr.

Sponsored by Susan and Robert E. Wood

Millie B. Oppenheimer was a specialty dress shop located in the Gold Coast, home to some of the city’s most affluent citizens. A favorite among stylish Chicagoans, Oppenheimer’s took pride in their unique upscale selections and personalized customer service. Founded by its namesake, Ms. Oppenheimer (1884–1963), the store, located at the corner of State and Goethe in the Ambassador Hotel West, opened in the early 1930s and closed in the late 1960s.

Mrs. Hope (Brooks) McCormick purchased this whimsical hand-painted evening gown by New York designer Philip Hulitar at the Millie B. Oppenheimer store. Hulitar began his career as a designer for Bergdorf Goodman in 1935, branching out on his own in 1949. Best known for his sophisticated cocktail dresses and evening wear, Hulitar retired from the fashion industry in 1964.

Mrs. Hope B. McCormick (far right) wore this dress to her daughter Martha’s (Martha McCormick Hunt) debutante ball in 1961. Mrs. McCormick served as the third president of the Museum’s Costume Council.

Millie B. Oppenheimer, Inc. Evening dress, 1961

Philip Hulitar, American (1905–92)

Gift of Mrs. Hope B. McCormick

Sponsored by April T. Schink; Noren and Richard Ungaretti

Martha Weathered (1881–1941) began her career at Marshall Field & Co. on State Street. She opened her first shop in March 1921 in Chicago’s landmark hotel—the Drake—and expanded two years later, with a misses’ store across the street. The Weathered stores were known for selling the best of high-end American apparel as well as imported European couture.

In 1962, the Chicago Sun-Times noted the “flaming sequin gown, cut like a bedtime creation, has become a signature of American designing great, Norman Norell.” That same year, Mrs. Samuel H. Rautbord purchased this glamorous Norell gown at Martha Weathered.

“Every elegant lady was a client of Martha’s. These were the days pre-Neiman’s, pre-Saks, pre-Bloomingdale’s, so if you wanted couture, you knew that Martha would have the newest things.”

—Mary Katherine Hartigan, great-niece of Martha Weathered

Martha Weathered, Inc.

Evening gown, 1962

Norman Norell, American (1900–72) Gift of Mrs. Samuel H. Rautbord

Sponsored by The Ralph and Ricky Lauren Foundation

N. H. Rosenthal Furs

Fur coat, c. 1969

James Galanos, American (b. 1924)

Hat by Adolfo, Cuban (b. 1933)

Gift of Mrs. Joyce Welfeld

Chicago’s designer fur business was booming in the mid-twentieth century, with many salons, including Alper-Richman Furs and the Carol and Irwin Ware Fur Salon, selecting the Magnificent Mile as the location for their businesses. N. H. Rosenthal Furs, an upscale fur salon, opened on State Street in 1921 but moved to North Michigan Avenue in 1953.

Mr. Marvin Welfeld acquired this lynx coat at the Rosenthal Salon for his wife in 1969. The accompanying hat was selected separately at the Chicago specialty store Bramson, located just a few blocks away. Many of Chicago’s fur salons closed in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as fur began to fall out of favor.

The donor wore this ensemble to the Lyric Opera’s Annual Dinner in 1969. She paired the coat and hat with alligator shoes and purse.

Evening gown, 1970

Norell, American (1900–72)

Norman

Gift of Mrs. Edward F. Blettner

Sponsored by Abra Wilkin

Chicago’s Magnificent Mile was fashioned with the upscale ready-to-wear trade in mind, and Norman Norell, undeniably one of the most important American designers of the twentieth century, was instrumental in launching readyto-wear in the United States. Norell debuted his mermaid style in the early 1940s, reintroducing the look in a number of variations in every collection until his last.

This gorgeous gown belonged to Mrs. Edward F. Blettner, a former Costume Council president, well-known philanthropist, and devoted Norell customer. During the 1960s and 1970s, Mrs. Blettner amassed a significant collection of his clothing and donated her rare mermaid gowns to the Chicago History Museum in 1983. This gown was worn by the donor to a New Year’s Eve gala at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

This floor-length gown is completely adorned with metallic sequins and larger white paillettes. Each sequin and paillette is secured by hand with either two or four stitches to ensure they lay flat and do not catch on one another.

The company released the Mink & Pearls campaign, shot by fashion photographer Richard Avedon, the year they moved their corporate headquarters to the John Hancock Center.

Jovan, Inc. began as a Chicago-based fragrance company in 1968, cofounded by Bernard A. Mitchell and Barry Shipp. They named their first product Mink & Pearls. To promote the line, the young and clever company commissioned popular ready-to-wear brand Malcolm Starr to create an ensemble symbolizing the elegance of their product and customer.

This ensemble is embroidered with rhinestones and more than 100,000 round and baroque (irregularly shaped) pearls.

“I was told that no one would buy a perfume made in Chicago, the city of stockyards. But I believed you could make perfume anywhere in the world . . . as long as it was high quality and manufactured and marketed right.”

— Bernard Mitchell

Evening ensemble, 1970 Elinor (Rizkallah) Simmons for Malcolm Starr Gift of Mr. Bernard Mitchell, Jovan, Inc.

DONOR AND WEARER LIST

Beverly Blettner was a Chicago philanthropist and an important patron of Norman Norell. Mrs. Blettner worked in sales for several years before becoming an executive with a truck-leasing firm. Considered by many as the go-to woman for fundraising events, she was an active member of the Costume Council, serving as its sixth president. Upon her death, a close friend said, “Chicago has lost one of its finest ladies.”

Mrs. Margaret (Philip D.) Block Jr.

Margaret Block was a philanthropist and active member of Chicago society. She was a member of the women’s board of the Michael Reese Hospital and Medical Center, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and Field Museum. She was also on the board of trustees of the Chicago Community Fund and the Planned Parenthood Association of Greater Chicago. In her spare time, she was an avid golfer and won several championships at the Lake Shore Country Club.

Mrs. Terri (Alfred) D’Ancona

Terri D’Ancona was a Chicago model, active in the 1960s and ’70s, and member of the Mannequin Guild. She was also a celebrated interior designer, founding design firm T2 with Teddy Foufas in 1973. From 1981 to 1991 she owned and operated Terri D. Ltd., one of the first concept stores on Oak Street that helped to introduce dance and exercise clothes as street wear. In 2012, Today’s Chicago Woman named her one of “60 Chicagoans of Style.”

Mrs. Margaret (Robert S.) Halperin

Margaret Halperin was a Chicago model and a member of the Mannequin Guild. Mr. Robert Halperin was the chairman of Commercial Light Company and a highly decorated World War II veteran who participated in D-Day. A skilled sailor, he won a bronze medal at the 1960 Olympics and a gold medal at the 1963 Pan American Games.

Mrs. Caryn (King) Harris

Caryn Harris is a Chicago philanthropist and wife to King Harris, heir to the Toni hair-care firm. A key supporter of the arts, Mrs. Harris is on the board of trustees at the Art Institute of Chicago and the Harris Theater and has chaired many galas supporting these and other Chicago cultural institutions. In 2012, Today’s Chicago Woman named her one of “60 Chicagoans of Style.”

Mrs. Cynthia Hedlund

Cynthia Hedlund is a real-estate broker and philanthropist. She spent many years living and working in Chicago, where she served as the ninth president of the Costume Council. As a Chicagobased realtor, she specialized in lakefront Gold Coast and Michigan Avenue properties. She currently lives in Tucson, where she is a board member of the University of Arizona School Of Art and on the partners’ board of the University of Arizona Art Museum.

Mr. Matthew Hickey III (Gift of Sandra Marsh) Matthew Hickey III was a Chicago stockbroker. He served as president of brokerage firm Hickey & Co. from 1969. He was known for his fondness for cigars and was president of Humidor 6, a club for cigar smokers. In December 1963 the Chicago Tribune named him one of Chicago’s most eligible bachelors.

Mrs. Anne (William) Hokin

Anne Hokin is a Chicago philanthropist and a member of the women’s board of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the University of Chicago Cancer Research Center and is a board member of Common Threads. She and her husband are among America’s top art collectors, with a collection of more than 500 pieces of contemporary art, including works of abstract expressionism, pop art, minimal art, and new American and European figuration.

Mrs. Barbara (Martin) Israel

Barbara Kaplan Israel is a Chicago stockbroker and philanthropist. She is a supporter of many Chicago institutions including Columbia College, the Illinois Eye-Bank, and the Howard Brown Health Center.

Ms. Nena Ivon

Nena Ivon is the current president of the Costume Council and a well-known figure in the Chicago fashion industry. She began her career as a sales assistant in the sportswear department of Saks Fifth Avenue and quickly rose to the role of director of fashion and special events. She teaches fashion at Columbia College and is the founder and partner in TalksChic, a coalition of professional speakers in specialized industries. In 2013, New City named her one of the Design 50, a list of fifty professionals who influence design in Chicago. She is also involved in many philanthropic pursuits. The city of Chicago has declared August 18 Nena Ivon Day.

Ms. Margie Korshak

Margie Korshak is the owner of Margie Korshak Associates Inc., a successful public relations firm whose clients have included Bloomingdales, Gucci, Chanel, and Versace, along with several restaurants, law firms, hotels, theaters, and other businesses. She founded the firm in 1969. In 2012, Today’s Chicago Woman named her one of “60 Chicagoans of Style.”

Mrs. Hope (Brooks) McCormick

Hope Baldwin McCormick was a prominent social and philanthropic leader in Chicago. The Chicago Tribune called her “the universally acknowledged Queen of Chicago Society and the grandest grand dame the town’s had since Bertha Palmer.” She was active in politics, serving as chairwoman of the Women’s Division of the Illinois Republican Fund and founding the Fighting Ninth citizens group. In 1964, she was elected to the General Assembly and spent eight years on the Republican National Committee, working for better representation of women in leadership positions. A major donor to the Chicago History Museum, Mrs. McCormick served as the third president of the Costume Council.

Mrs. Marilyn Miglin

Marilyn Miglin is a Chicago entrepreneur and known by some as the “Empress of Oak Street.” In 1963, she launched her eponymous firm selling cosmetics and fragrances. Since then, she has become one of the top 500 women business owners in America. Instrumental in raising money to preserve and promote Oak Street, Marilyn Miglin served as the first president of the Oak Street Council. In honor of her service to the city, Oak Street was given the honorary title “Marilyn Miglin Way.” In addition, the city of Chicago has declared April 15 Marilyn Miglin Day. A supporter of several philanthropic organizations, Miglin founded Women of Destiny, a mentoring program for women and was a recipient the Raoul Wallenberg International Humanitarian Award.

Mr. Bernard Mitchell

Bernard Mitchell was a Chicago businessman best known for founding highly successful perfume company Jovan, Inc. in 1968 with Barry Shipp. His other ventures included the founding of Mitchell Manufacturing Co. in 1936, which invented the first fluorescent desk lamp and the first hermetically sealed window air conditioner. In addition, Mr. Mitchell was a generous philanthropist supporting many Chicago hospitals.

Mrs. Cindy (Jay) Pritzker

Mrs. (Marian) Cindy Pritzker was the wife of the late Jay Pritzker, founder of the Hyatt hotel chain. The Pritzker family is the namesake of the highly prestigious Pritzker Architecture Prize. An active fundraiser and philanthropist, Mrs. Pritzker is an important member of Chicago society. She is credited with raising the necessary funds to build the Harold Washington Library, which opened in 1991, and asked Frank Gehry to design the bandshell in Millennium Park.

Ms. Barbara Robinson Ralph

Barbara Robinson Ralph was a Chicago-based architect and one of the founding members of Chicago Women in Architecture. She studied at the Illinois Institute of Technology and began her architectural career during World War II. Ms. Ralph worked for several architectural firms before starting her own, Barbara Robinson Ralph & Associates, in 1987. Her projects included the renovation of the Detroit City Airport; the DuPont Circle Metro Station in Washington DC; the Church of Saints Constantine and Helena in Palos Hills, Illinois; and the design for the “spaghetti bowl interchange,” the reinforced concrete bents supporting roadways in Chicago.

Mrs. Dorothy H. Rautbord

Dorothy Rautbord was a longstanding Chicago philanthropist with a lifetime passion for art. She studied art at the University of Illinois and was a major art collector, owning works by Picasso, Miró, Calder, and Dubuffet. She was also a founding member of the Museum of Contemporary Art, in addition to supporting several health organizations. As her stepdaughter, Sugar Rautbord, described: “She loved the creative process. She used to joke that there were some people with a talent and other people with a talent to know who had the talent.”

Mrs. Ellen Ross

Ellen Ross is a Chicago-based writer. For ten years she wrote a weekly humor column called “Social Studies” for the Chicago Sun Times’ Pioneer Press. After relocating to Aspen, Colorado, she hosted The Ellen Ross Show, a weekly talk show on Grassroots Television. She currently maintains a blog about her life both past and present called A Letter from Elba. While in Chicago, she was very active within the social scene and served as Costume Council chair in the 1990s. As a teenager, she modeled for Saks Fifth Avenue where she gained a passion for “show-stopping” clothing.

Ms. Arlene Sheskin

Arlene Sheskin is the founder of Sheskin Research, a market research company. Before starting Sheskin Research, Ms. Sheskin taught at several universities. She also serves on the board of directors for the Young Women’s Leadership Charter School of Chicago.

Ms. Lenore Weiss (Gift of Mrs. Frances K. Alpert)

Lenore Weiss was a court reporter working in the Chicago court system for fifty years. She retired in 1984. It is believed that Ms. Weiss was one of the last court reporters in the county court system who used shorthand. According to her niece, Frances K. Alpert, Ms. Weiss was an innovator in her profession and authored several manuals.

Mrs. Joyce (Marvin) Welfeld

Joyce Welfeld was the wife of Marvin Welfeld, a Chicago businessman and founder of the law firm of Welfeld, Fleischman & Chaimson. Mrs. Welfeld was involved in supporting several Chicago charities. The Welfeld family was also active in the Chicago fashion industry; Marvin’s daughter Frankie owned high-end boutique Sansappelle on Oak Street; Louis M. Welfeld, Marvin’s son, owned N. H. Rosenthal Furs.

Mrs. Abra Prentice Wilkin

Abra Prentice Wilkin is a philanthropist, writer, and prominent member of Chicago society. She was a columnist and writer for both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Daily News and cofounded The Chicagoan. She served as the fourth president of the Costume Council and supports numerous Chicago institutions such as Prentice Women’s Hospital and Lincoln Park Zoo. Voted one of Chicago’s best dressed women, Mrs. Wilkin was described by Town & Country as “quick-witted and whimsical.”

EXHIBITION CHECKLIST

p. 18–19

Cocktail dress, c. 1955

James Galanos, American (b. 1924)

silk jersey, silk chiffon

Gift of Mrs. Philip D. Block Jr.

1977.36.2

Purchased at Blum’s Vogue

p. 20–21

Evening gown, 1961

Philip Hulitar, American (1905–92)

raw silk, hand-painted silk chiffon, plastic sequins

Gift of Mrs. Hope B. McCormick

1976.240.2

Purchased at Millie B. Oppenheimer, Inc.

p. 22–23

Evening gown, 1962

Norman Norell, American (1900–72)

silk jersey, metallic sequins

Gift of Mrs. Samuel H. Rautbord

1980.88.9

Purchased at Martha Weathered, Inc.

p. 24–25

Coat, 1969

James Galanos, American (b. 1924) lynx

1983.611.1

Purchased at N. H. Rosenthal

Hat, c. 1969

Adolfo, Cuban (b. 1933) lynx

Gift of Mrs. Joyce Welfeld

1987.385.6

Purchased at Bramson

p. 26–27

Evening gown, 1970

Norman Norell, American (1900–72)

silk jersey, metallic sequins, plastic paillettes

Gift of Mrs. Edward F. Blettner

1983.585.1

p. 28–29

Evening ensemble, 1970

Elinor (Rizkallah) Simmons for Malcolm Starr (pants) silk embellished overall with embroidery and beading, imitation pearls, Swarovski crystal, lochrosen, rectangular faceted glass montées, and silver-lined crystal bugle beads; (blouse) silk embellished with imitation pearl beads and buttons; (camisole*) silk

* synthetic prop camisole used for exhibition

Gift of Mr. Bernard Mitchell, Jovan, Inc.

1978.139abc

p. 30–31

Evening gown and hat, 1971

Ronald Amey, American (1934–86) (dress) polyester crêpe, silk satin with black silk top stitching, cut glass ball buttons (hat) plastic paillettes

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Robert S. Halperin

CC1972.194ab; CC 1972.195

Purchased at Blum’s Vogue

p. 32–33

Evening dress, 1972

Rudi Gernreich, American (1922–85)

wool knit, silk chiffon

Gift of Mrs. Barbara Robinson Ralph 1989.842.2

Purchased at Bonwit Teller

p. 34–35

Man’s suit, 1974

Lawrence M. Pucci, American (1919–2009)

polyester knit, signature buttons

Tie by Crested Clubs Blanford

polyester with silk embroidery

Man’s shoes by Foot Joy, Inc.

leather, rubber

Gift of Miss Sandra Marsh

1987.574.11ab; 1987.574.14; 1987.574.3ab

Purchased at Pucci, Inc.

p. 36–37

Day ensemble, mid 1970s

Bonnie Cashin, American (1908–2000)

wool (dress); leather, brass (coat)

Gift of Ms. Nena Ivon

1984.12.1abc

Purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue

p. 38–39

Coat, c. 1977

Gucci, founded in Florence, 1906

brushed dyed leather, lynx trim

Gift of Mrs. Frances K. Alpert

1988.474.1

Purchased at Gucci

p. 40–41

Evening dress, c. 1978

Adolfo, Cuban (b. 1933)

silk/acrylic knit

Gift of Mrs. Abra Prentice Wilkin

1980.117.4

Purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue

p. 42–43

Jumpsuit, c.1978

André Courrèges sequins, satin trim

Gift of Mrs. Terri D’Ancona

1985.563.1

Purchased at Courrèges Boutique, Water Tower Place

p. 44–45

Evening gown, spring 1980

James Galanos, American (b. 1924)

silk satin, silk and/or baste fiber (ramie) mesh (printed)

Gift of Mrs. Jay Pritzker

1986.724.1

Purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue

p. 46–47

Evening ensemble, 1984

Valentino Boutique sequins, wool knit

Gift of Mrs. King Harris

1986.632.1abc

Purchased at Neiman Marcus

p. 48–49

Coat, late 1980s

Claude Montana, French (b. 1947)

Mongolian lambswool

Gift of Ms. Arlene Sheskin

1991.586

Purchased at Neiman Marcus

p. 50–51

Cocktail dress, fall 1986

Thierry Mugler, French (b. 1948)

synthetic gold lamé

Gift of Mrs. Ellen Ross

1988.545.1

Purchased at Stanley Korshak

p. 52–53

Cocktail dress, 1987

Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel

Founded in Paris, 1909

sequins, lace, satin ribbon

Gift of Mrs. Martin Israel 1995.238.2ab

Purchased at Chanel

p. 54–55

Evening gown, 1989

Geoffrey Beene, American (1924–2004)

sequins, glass beads, satin insert

Gift of Mrs. Cynthia Hedlund 1991.594.2

Purchased at I. Magnin

p. 56–57

Evening gown, 1991

Style 8051

Carolyne Roehm, American (b. 1951)

silk chiffon, silk velvet

Gift of the Costume Council 1992.434.7

Purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue

p. 58–59

Evening gown, Look #42, fall/winter 1993–94

Christian Lacroix, French (b. 1951)

Gift of Christian Lacroix 1993.293.1a-g

p. 60–61

Evening gown, 1982

Bill Blass, American (1922–2002)

silk jersey, cotton organdy

Gift of Mrs. Marilyn Miglin 1984.8.1

Purchased at Saks Fifth Avenue

p. 62–63

Evening gown, fall/winter 1985

Style #90904

Gianni Versace, Italian (1946–97)

painted and/or printed metal mesh, silk satin trim, embellished with faceted colored glass/crystal stones in prong settings, and two plated metal clips at back inset with faceted glass/crystal stones.

Gift of Gianni Versace 1986.201.3a

p. 64–65

Skirt suit, c. 1986

Jean Paul Gaultier, French (b. 1952)

cotton sateen, cotton mesh (fishnet)

Gift of Mrs. William Hokin 1988.525.2abc

p. 66–67

Cocktail dress, c. 1982

Karl Lagerfeld for Chloé, Founded in Paris, 1952

silk crêpe, plastic sequins

Gift of Ms. Margie Korshak 1985.577.1

Purchased at Ultimo, Ltd.

p. 68–69

Evening dress, fall/winter 1992–93

Yohji Yamamoto, Japanese (b. 1943)

silk organza, bobbinet (tulle), hand painted in gold leaf

Gift of Ultimo Ltd. 1992.449ab

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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IMAGE CREDITS

All images are from the Chicago History Museum unless otherwise noted. Garment photography by Joseph Aaron Campbell and Stephen J. Jensen © Chicago Historical Society.

4, above left, Skrebneski Photograph ©1985; 6, Skrebneski Photograph ©1984; 10 below, ICHi-69583; 11, HB-01660a; 12, HB-10069c; 13, ICHi-38958; 14, ICHi-52294; 16–17, ICHi-69755; 20, ICHi-69215; 28, cc40-140 Jovan, Inc. “Mink & Pearls” poster ©1970; 33 left, ICHi-52297; 33 right, HB-31216z2; 41, Town & Country, September 1978, Art Shay Photograph ©1978; 43, ICHi-39590; 54, HB-35703f; 55, Town & Country, August 1989, Leonardo DeVega Photograph ©1989; 69, ICHi-i69584.