Cocktail hat

During the 1930s, '40s and the early '50s, when hats were considered required accessories for well-dressed women, Sally Victor was among the foremost American milliners. Creative and very successful for almost 40 years, Victor began her prolific millinery career in 1927. She was one of the original members of the Edward C. Blum Design Laboratory, and often used the Brooklyn Museum's varied collections to draw inspiration for her designs. She was so connected with the Design Lab that she participated in several collaborative exhibitions and the museum often used her designs in publicity materials to exemplify how the Lab could benefit designers by providing inspiration. Her work is characterized by a special quirkiness that could often be traced back to interesting sources such as Native American tribes, the artist Henri Matisse or Japanese armor. She also combined traditional hat-making materials such as felt and silk with new synthetic materials in unique ways. According to her May 16, 1977 obituary in the "New York Times," Victor described her mission simply as "designing pretty hats that make women look prettier."

Museum documentation denotes that the inspiration for the shape of this hat was Japanese wigs. The exact meaning of that is unclear, but the shape of this luxurious creation is reminiscent of elaborate geisha hairstyles, many times facilitated by wearing a wig. Victor harbored an enduring interest in traditional and regional forms, and incorporated many design elements from world cultures into her hats. In this particular hat, the combination of materials chosen by Victor is lavish and opulent, including brilliant coral branches, glossy silk cord, shimmering rhinestones and contrasting turquoise blue ribbon.