Dress
Designer Carolyn Schnurer American
Textile manufactured by Hollander
Not on view
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 details.
The silhouette in this example from the "Flight to Japan" collection is clearly derived from the kimono and obi. The embroidered textile was adapted from the traditional plaited rice straw raincoats worn by rural fishermen and farmers as well as the thatched roofs of houses which were secured down by rope nets.
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