"Sitting Duck" dress

During her twenty-year career in fashion, from 1944 to 1964, Carolyn Schnurer (1908-1998) was a pioneer in the newly emerging American sportswear industry. Directing her designs toward young active women, Schnurer developed coordinates and dresses that were unfussy, required minimal foundation garments and could be worn for a variety of occasions. Particularly renowned for her culturally-inspired resort collections, rather than a blatantly costumed appearance, Schnurer's designs maintained a classic American silhouette while incorporating the cultural theme in fabric selection or construction detail.

This dress from the "Flight to Japan" collection pays homage to Japanese artist, Insho Domoto, whom Schnurer met during her travels in Japan. When she asked for his signature in her diary, he drew two ducks. Domoto's signature has been immortalized here in metallic brocade on an orange plain weave cotton ground.