Ensemble

Bill Blass|Bill Blass Ltd.

1981 · wool, silk, leather · Costume Institute

Bill Blass began his New York fashion career in 1946 working for Maurice Rentner where he gained notoriety for his elegant womenswear. In 1970 Blass purchased the company and renamed it Bill Blass Limited which he expanded to include numerous licenses, ranging from perfume and luggage to car models. Nancy Reagan favored the designs of Bill Blass while she was First Lady. This suit, in her signature red color, was worn for two events in 1981: the White House's annual Easter Egg Roll and a state visit by Prime Minister Suzuki of Japan.

Artist

Bill Blass|Bill Blass Ltd.

Date

1981

Medium

wool, silk, leather

Culture

American

Department

Costume Institute

Credit line

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Gift of the Brooklyn Museum, 2009; Gift of Nancy Reagan and Bill Blass, 1982