Press Pictures

This one-piece beaded evening dress was made by Bessie’s favorite couturier, Fox of Paris & New York, around 1904.  The bodice is ivory silk lace over pink silk bobbinet, with black silk shoulder trim.  The sleeves are of ivory cotton net with bobbin lace appliqués and ivory silk chiffon.  Both bodice and sleeves are embellished with gold sequins, beads, and appliqués.  The belt is of gold folded organza.

The skirt has panels of black and ivory silk lace, with pleated layers of black silk bobbinet at the hem.  There are three layers of silk bobbinet – pink, blue, pink – two layers are self-trimmed with ruched edging, the third has a knife-pleated hemline frill.  The skirt is embellished with the same gold sequins, beads, and appliqués as the bodice.

Conserved by ConText Inc., 2014

The three-piece green and black velvet afternoon suit (blouse, jacket, and skirt) belonged to either Bessie Pardee McKee or her daughter Marjorie Van Wickle Lyon. It was designed and constructed by Fox of Paris and New York, favorite couturier of both women. The green silk velvet jacket is loose-fitting with black silk velvet collar and cuffs and is lined with ivory silk satin. There are 3 black velvet covered buttons with corresponding loops at the neck; and fourteen rows of applied black braided trim embellish the side back panels of the bodice, along with seven black velvet covered buttons on each lower side panel. The black silk velvet skirt is flared and has seven black velvet covered buttons down each side. The waist-length blouse is constructed of two layers of bottle green silk chiffon embellished with metallic embroidery. The sleeve cuffs, waist sash, bodice back and front panels are of draped black silk velvet. The lining is ivory silk net and ivory silk gauze.

Conserved by ConText Inc., October 2016

Marjorie Van Wickle’s Party Dress, 1903 Marjorie Van Wickle had this party dress made in Vienna when she visited in 1903 as part of her Grand Tour. It was designed and constructed by Drecoll’s, the fashion house founded by Austrian-born Baron Christoff von Drecoll in 1896. The company specialized in creating elaborate evening dresses, and was known to be a favorite designer of the ladies of the Imperial Viennese court.

Marjorie’s shell-pink silk chiffon dress consists of a separate skirt and bodice. The long, full, gored skirt has a slight train, and the center-front panel is embroidered in a stylized daisy design with thick silk floss, sequins, beads, and vertical pleats of silk chiffon. The rest of the skirt is divided into five tiers trimmed with horizontal inserts of embroidered bobbinet lace, and pleats of silk chiffon. The lining is trimmed with a matching pleated hemline flounce, backed with a pink taffeta ruffle. A wide chiffon hemline ruffle is stitched to the lining.

The bodice has a wide rounded neckline and short puffed sleeves and is embroidered to match the skirt. The cotton foundation of the bodice is stiffened with 13 bones, and the grosgrain interior waistband bears the maker’s name, “Drecoll – Wien, Paris.”

Conserved by ConText Inc., February 2017