Sue Ann Genet Costume Collection

For day four of Matching Sets, we’ll be taking a look at this trench coat and dress combo dated circa 1969! The first garment is a taupe dress, fitted tightly to the body by princess seams that extend from a front yoke. There are two large pocket flaps also along the yoke, with large gold buttons in the center of each one. Also of note are the mandarin collar and the large side pockets tucked into the princess seams. The fit, neckline, and sleeveless silhouette are all remini...scent of the youth-driven, minimalistic Mod movement, although the dress length is not as short as the hyper popular miniskirt iconic from that era. Layered over the dress is a trench coat of the same tan fabric. It has the same pockets and seams, with the added bonus of long sleeves, a center front opening with more gold buttons, and a large notched collar. The color and placement of the chest pockets resemble a military uniform, although the tailoring of the dress and jacket elevate it away from function towards style. As the 60s turned into the 70s, ready-to-wear fashion became widely accessible. Designers in the 70s took increasing inspiration from the 1940s, and this outfit likely came from the beginnings of that vein of thought. Fashion designers were enamored by the strong-shouldered, WWII-infused Western world of thirty years previous, and many prominent designers faced controversies as they romanticized war and the German occupation through their work. Both this dress and coat were donated along with several other pieces by Mrs. Susan Mack Saril. Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

Our third feature for Matching Sets is this silk faille tunic dress and skirt. This ensemble was designed by James Galanos, circa 1970. Galanos is renowned for his sense of elegance, producing garments widely acknowledged as on par with that of French couturiers, a compliment scarcely earned by other American designers. He opened his own label, Galanos Originals, in Los Angeles in 1951 after several years working for several Seventh Avenue dressmakers in NYC. He designed most...ly luxurious ready-to-wear, which was sold at stores like Saks Fifth Avenue, but he also dressed several celebrities from Marilyn Monroe and Nancy Reagan. Galanos’ work was known for being extremely unique, and this outfit is no exception! The eggplant and cream triangle print is strikingly modern. The silhouette of the tunic dress is extremely simple, with a regular neckline and sleeves, and no darts to fit it to the body. It is in the details that it really comes to life, though. There are two large cargo pockets on the front, arranged against the body of the garment so that the print lines up. The same square covered buttons that fasten the pocket flaps are used to close the back of the garment asymmetrically. White topstitching accents the collar and the pockets. The tunic dress is paired with a length skirt of the same silk faille to complete the look! Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

It’s day two of Matching Sets, and we’re bringing you a look from another talented figure in American fashion history, Adele Simpson! Simpson started working at the label Mary Lee in 1942, before buying and renaming it to Adele Simpson Inc. in 1949. She designed mostly ready-to-wear garments known for their practicality and trendiness. Simpson’s work was notably feminine, and she had an acute eye for what was currently in style, but she worked hard to maintain a sense of self...-described ‘realness’ in all her work so as to maintain her retail clientele. Simpson is also credited with the popularization of cotton as a fashionable textile, and worked with her textile designer husband Wesley Simpson to create the prints used in her collections! This pink, abstract, diamond print ensemble includes an a-line, scoop neck dress with classic waist darts and a large ribbon belt at the natural waist. Although the belt fastens at the side and beneath the large center front bow, the dress closes with a center back zipper. The jacket ends a little bit above the waist to allow the bow on the dress to show beneath it. Four large buttons covered in the same print fabric lead up the center front to a collar. There is also a tag in the garment for the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union. This outfit is dated circa 1965, and both the unnatural bubblegum color and abstracted geometry of the print are telling of style at the time. Candy-like colors and bold, fun patterns rose to prominence in design of all fields as creators explored and were inspired by plastic as a more readily available material! It is clear how in tune Simpson was to trends, as lively designs with lots of commercial potential later became the foundation for the Pop movement. Both this jacket and dress were donated along with several other pieces by Mrs. Susan Mack Saril. Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

This week, we’re looking at the impact of coordination by featuring a few Matching Sets from the collection! Our first ensemble is another Gilbert Adrian look consisting of a brown wool jacket and skirt. The jacket has an asymmetrical curved front with matching covered buttons running up into the thick collar. This opening allows for a little triangle of space between the skirt and the jacket, revealing whatever the shirt the wearer has donned underneath. The slightly oversiz...ed sleeves are connected to the body of the jacket, attached at the underarms and along the top. The long skirt uses more buttons at the side of the waistband to gather the material. All this, combined with the shoulder pads serve to widen the shoulders and minimize the waist, in line with the style when this skirt suit was created, circa 1947. Adrian designed for his own taste, and his unique aesthetic did not always match up with what the high fashion world in Paris expected from designers at the time. However, he was a stickler for smart tailoring, leading his suits especially to popularity for their flattering and chic silhouettes. His unwillingness to change his individual stylistic perspective is what led to the creation of delightful garments like this wool ensemble! Along with the Gilbert Adrian label, there is also a label for Julius Garfinckel & Co., a department store located in Washington D.C. It was founded by Julius Garfinckel, who was born in Syracuse, in 1905, and lasted well after his 1936 death before declaring bankruptcy in 1990. The original owner/wearer of this skirt suit was Ruey Messenger; a buyer for Garfinkel and Co. in Washington D.C. from 1949-1952, after which she became the Fashion Coordinator for the store until 1974. She was well known by fashion designers both in America and in Europe, and had an extensive wardrobe of outstanding clothes. Her daughter, Missy Warfield, a graduate of the College for Human Development at Syracuse University, donated her mother's clothing and some of her books and papers after her mother's death in 1991. Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

Closing out 3D Adornment is this cheerful floral dress, circa 1935! Most of the visual interest comes from manipulation of the dress’ floral chiffon outer layer. The print features mostly primary and secondary colored flowers, loosely gathered into thick ruffles along the neck and hemline. Further style lines are created by the underbust panel on the front, and the gathering of the skirt into an additional ruffle down the center back. This style is a far more toned down equiv...alent of a Victorian bustle, and is a trait still common in modern wedding and formal dresses today. As if the print was not enough of a pop of color, the matching belt has two gathered clusters of chiffon, the bright fabric creating abstract three dimensional flowers. The fraying, unfinished edges of the petals add additional textile. The definition of the natural waist and mid-calf skirt length are in line with the more feminine silhouettes of 1930s womenswear, and borderline abstract prints were typical of daywear of the era. The high curving neckline and thick ruffle also create the exaggerated shoulder characteristic of the 30s. One of the most influential fashion designers of the time was Elsa Schiaparelli, whose surrealist work made use of lots of quirky adornments. Contrary to the Great Depression wreaking havoc on the US, her unusual take on garment design added a twist of escapism to the style of the time. Although this dress is far less experimental compared to her work, the summery colors and puffy flowers on the belt are an undeniable source of whimsy similar to Schiaparelli’s designs! Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

Our fourth example of 3D Adornment is another 1920s day dress, this time from circa 1922. The brown silk georgette outer layer of this dress transforms several elements of this design via its sheerness. The dress’ illusion neckline flows into bell sleeves, while underneath the thick waistband, the georgette of the skirt has been pleated. Decorating the front of the waistband, a double-sided ribbon has been artfully tacked in the vague shape of a bow, with clusters of multicol...ored flowers at the base of each loop. The blooms are made of stiffened velvet and the blossoms are made of a very light silk, wrapped over a 'puff' of cotton similar to a cotton ball, and then painted and segmented using thread. The pastel flowers and turquoise side of the ribbon contrast nicely against the rich brown. In the back, the excess brown georgette has been gathered into a large bow just under the line of button closures down the center back. On each of the georgette bow’s tails, the same brown and turquoise ribbon has been tied into actual bows and then attached. Both contrasting colors, and fake flowers were popular for 1920s ornamentation. Women’s fashion addressed comfort for what seemed like the first time in history, with an emphasis on simplicity. Formality was redefined, requiring less layers, shortening skirt lengths, and the overall abstraction of women’s clothing. At first glance, this dress appears to be a shirt and skirt instead of one solid piece. This effect is achieved by an underslip connecting the two pieces, but allowing for the georgette from the top to look unattached. While the bows accent the waist, neither the slip underneath nor the georgette overlayer are particularly form-fitting. Loose garments like this dress were easy to put on, and comfortable to wear, but not particularly flattering for most body types. Many women in the 20s adopted fierce weight loss regimens to achieve the thin, unshapely frame most becoming in this style of dress. So while the clothing of the 1920s itself was remarkably less restrictive than in previous years, the pursuit of style was not actually any easier. Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

It’s day three of 3D Adornment, and we’re excited to take a look at this Leslie Fay sheath dress! The label was founded in 1947 by Fred Pomerantz, who had been making uniforms since 1942 for American women serving in the military in WWII. It was that foundation that kickstarted his brand, as he used the same sizing he had been sent to fit uniforms for his lines. Named after Pomerantz’s daughter, the brand specialized in stylish yet modest clothing for more conservative, middl...e-aged women. There’s a vintage Leslie Fay label in the back, but also of interest is the International Ladies’ Garment Workers’ Union tag. Continued strikes by unionized workers in the early 90s led to the eventual shutdown of their factory, which up until that point had been one of the few remaining large scale unionized clothing production facilities in the US. On top of a fraud scandal from a few years before, the loss of the factory caused the company to declare bankruptcy, although it eventually turned itself around and continues to be sold in stores today. This particular dress is circa 1967, when the Mod movement was in full swing. The garment is made of a black crepe, with a pointed panel around the neckline, French darts, and a center front seam that splits at the waist. This fits the front of the garment against the body, with only shoulder darts and the center back zipper manipulating the much looser back panel. Also tucked into the front skirt seams are hip pockets, making the garment functional as well as attractive! The main feature of the dress are four large, knot buttons down the center front. Adapted in Western fashion from Chinese traditional wear, this particular knot is known as a Chinese ball or globe knot. The coordinating black material allows the decorative buttons to add interest and texture to the dress without disrupting the severity of the rather formal, modest silhouette! Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

Our second feature for 3D Adornment is also from the 20s, though this day dress is dated later in the decade, circa 1927. The oyster colored garment consists of three noticeable layers, all of which fall asymmetrically across the body. The first lands at the high hip, revealing a thick gathered dropped waistband, while the next two layers end around the knee and mid calf respectively. Five horizontal rows of stitches have been gathered at the shoulders, and the armhole protru...des in a mock cap sleeve, concealing where the long sleeve connects to the body of the garment. The reflective and drapey appearance of the silk crepe combined with the wave-like layers give the garment a liquid quality. What really catches the eye, though, are the elegant ruched bows on the sleeve cuffs and left hip. The adornments consist of a rectangular piece of the same silk crepe, gathered down the middle and tacked onto the body of the garment, leaving the ends free to flare away. Day dresses in the 20s referred to garments from nearly every place on the spectrum of casual to formal. The style consisted of the same loose silhouette, modest skirt length and neckline of most 1920s dresses, with the addition of long sleeves. While the silhouette of this garment is the same as a more casual day dress, the more luxurious material, decoration, and the lack of a collar all point to it being formal afternoon and possibly evening attire. Around the time this dress was made, formalwear styles were in the midst of transitioning. Eveningwear had shifted away from using intricate embroidery, lace, and hand painted patterns towards shimmery fabrics, gathering, and bows, making this dress incredibly chic by late 20s standards of elegance! Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

One of the challenges of fashion design compared to other art forms is the need to fit a three dimensional form. This week, we’ll be taking a look at a few garments that expand beyond the human body and use tactile elements as adornment! Our first feature is this blue taffeta dress, circa 1924. This style is known as a ‘robe de style’, consisting of a dropped waist and full skirt. Inspired by 18th century French court dresses, it was popularized in the 20s for its nearly univ...ersally flattering fit. While many designers have made their own ‘robe de style’, it is credited as one of Jeanne Lanvin’s signature looks. This specific garment has vertical strips of delicately pleated taffeta running down the front of the bodice, squaring to the sides on the skirt and wrapping around the back. These accentuate the square neckline, and add further texture to the already shiny fabric. The garment snaps down the side, opening up to reveal an apron front skirt on the inside. On the garment’s left shoulder is a large poppy, complete with individual overlapping petals, protruding stem, and droopy stamen. The contrasting color and layered appearance adds interest and movement to the garment. Red poppies have symbolized peacefulness and rest in Western culture dating back to Ancient Greece, but after the devastation of WWI, they further symbolized death as fields of the flower dominated European battlegrounds. Constructed so soon after the end of the war, it’s unclear if this association was intentional, especially considering how otherwise cheerful the color and silhouette of the garment are. One thing’s for sure, the flower is an inspiring example of craft and design, resulting in a unique and beautiful garment! Photography by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a fashion sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

Closing out Pointed Design is this navy and cream dress! The main body of the garment is made of a plain synthetic crepe, consisting of a bodice and a skirt with side and center seams. The lace used for the top uses an alternating abstract floral pattern to create the effect of stripes from far away. The garment is fastened via snaps and button loops on the side. What’s especially unique about this dress, though is the yoke, which looks like a pointed sweetheart illusion ne...ckline on both the front and back. Illusion necklines use two contrasting fabrics, a solid one in a laying low above the bust while another sheer panel continues further up the chest. In the front, the sheer lace fabric also contains a keyhole cutout and ends in a tiny peter pan collar at the base of the neck. It can be opened to get the head through, and closed again by a tiny white button. Also adorning the front is a large flower, using a combination of crepe for petals and lace to imitate leaves. The dress is dated circa 1939, on the cusp between 30s and 40s design, and the start of WWII. In the US, where this garment was made, the war was still far off, the Great Depression still impacting daily life. Most people turned to film and Hollywood glamour as a mode of escapism, though in the struggling US economy, this was seen more in imitation makeup and hairstyles rather than the luxurious clothes the rest of the Western world adapted from the silver screen. 30s style was about slenderness of the body, with lots of defined waists and exaggerated shoulders in womens’ daywear. The thinness of the navy crepe makes the seams ultra visible, adding that style line around the natural waist, while the texture of the lace draws the eye up to the shoulder. All these pictures were taken by Stephen Sartori. See more

It’s day four of Pointed Design, and our next piece actually comes from an American costume and fashion design icon, Gilbert Adrian! Adrian’s run in fashion started long before the opening of his first boutique in 1942. He designed costumes for movies under MGM from 1928 to 1939, creating iconic looks for starlets like Greta Garbo, Norma Shearer, and Joan Crawford. Due to the movies’ popularity, the public had been dressing in both official recreations and knockoffs of his de...signs for nearly ten years. By the time he started selling his designs beyond the silver screen, the public already adored his style. Adrian was lucky that both his aesthetic and construction techniques matched well with the cultural influence and fabric rations WWII brought to the US. This blazer, although undeniably militaristic in silhouette and color palette, is from circa 1946, after the end of WWII. By then Adrian’s style was well established, though. His garments combined multiple fabrics to create the appearance of print, although the pieces were actually separate components tailored together, like the navy blue wool and the white and black stripes on this blazer. The large, padded shoulders of the 40s were another large part of Adrian’s work, which constantly included strong, bulky shoulders. On this garment, they’re further emphasized by the thick diagonal strip running between the armscye and neck on the front, and bands of the striped fabric on the back panels. Also in 40s convention, the jacket is fitted at the waist, with excess in the back to flare out at the hips. This jacket is also a piece of Syracuse history! A small label in the inside of the garment shows that it was retailed at Flah & Co., a department store that was in Syracuse’s downtown shopping district until it was bought out in the 80s. All these pictures were taken by Stephen Sartori. See more

Our next feature of Pointed Design is this dark gray 50s skirt, which has some extremely charming pockets! What would otherwise be a rather simple a-line wool skirt is elevated by the detailing on the pockets, where a contrasting light grey wool has been used to fill in two structured triangles and a covered button. The dark grey body of the skirt has been top stitched in this zig-zag pattern to the light grey underneath, creating the illusion of peculiar pointed pocket flaps.... The matching button centered between each pair of triangles adds to the effect. The abstract decoration, along with the use of defined shapes probably took inspiration from the mid-century modern design movement popular at the time. The roundedness of the triangles’ points fall in line with the combination of classic geometry and rounded, organic forms that is the style’s hallmark. The skirt is from the US, circa 1955, where its shape and 3-inch waistband are perfect hallmark’s of the era’s most recognizable silhouette. Wool skirts were especially fashionable, although the weight of the fabric, combined with the exaggerated petticoats most women wore underneath, made them incredibly impractical to style for everyday life. On the other hand, it was also desirable for its thickness, which was perfect to conceal any hoop structures underneath. Not what one would typically expect from the classic girly, pastel image of 50s fashion, this skirt is a great example of the era’s diversity via textile and construction details! All these pictures were taken by Stephen Sartori in preparation for 'Vintage Details; a Fashion Sourcebook' by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more

Our second feature for Pointed Design is this cream and pink Jacques Esterel coat! He opened his house in 1958, quickly receiving attention after designing the Vichy dress for starlet Brigitte Bardot’s 1959 wedding. A musician as well as a designer, Esterel brought a quirky theatricality to all his designs, even if it garnered him the nickname ‘court jester’ from fashion critics of the time. He created womenswear, menswear, handbags, and more, showing off his incredibly trend...y work in unconventionally styled fashion shows. This double breasted coat is no exception, using pastel colors to transform a classic military silhouette into the same chic and cheerful style one expects from 60s fashion. The thick pink color-blocking on the sleeve cuffs and oversized notched lapel exhibit smart tailoring and clever textile selection. On top of color difference, the visible threads of the woven bubblegum-colored fabric also creates a textural contrast between it and the body of the coat. Aside from the pink, the coat is monochromatic, with matching cream lining and oversized buttons. To complete the outfit is a coordinating dress, which can be fastened at the back of the high neck with a zipper, and hook and eye. Esterel passed away in 1974, but his label was carried on by family members, who went on to sue Yves Saint Laurent for trademark infringement on a design. Fashion is legally considered too utilitarian for copyright, and most designers believe it’s too artistically cyclical, making plagiarism an iffy path to pursue even in regards to blatant knockoffs. Although the Jacques Esterel label won the case, the bad press cost the brand its place in the Fashion Creators Union. All these pictures were taken by Stephen Sartori in preparation for ‘Vintage Details; a Fashion Sourcebook’ by Jeffrey Mayer and Basia Szkutnicka. See more