"Gothic"

Charles James

1954 · cotton · Costume Institute

This full-sewn muslin is associated with Charles James' Coty-Award winning coat design. The holdings of the collection include a day (2009.300.3572) and an evening version (2009.300.582). The Charles James holdings include an extraordinary collection of sewn muslins and flat patterns that represent James' design process from original concept to the finished garment. At his behest, three of his most devoted clients, Millicent Huttleston Rogers, Mrs. John (Dominique) de Menil, and Mrs. William Randolph (Austine) Hearst, Jr., along with several others, donated this supporting material along with the actual garments. In some cases, the garments are accompanied by materials that represent all of James' design phases-two flat patterns (paper and muslin), and two sewn muslins (half and full).

Artist

Charles James

Date

1954

Medium

cotton

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 Mrs. John de Menil, 1957