Background His 1941 re-envisioning of the utilitarian cardigan sweater as a high-fashion statement was a Mainbocher sensation. It became a signature that he continued to reinterpret over the years. Here, the designer showcases his skill by transforming his client’s own cashmere twin set into a cardigan-styled shift dress and jacket, deftly reworking the pieces into an ensemble look. Description Dress: Drop-waisted shift; below-knee length; collarless round ribbed knit neckline, piped in satin; short set-in sleeves, ribbed knit cuff; hem of bodice topstitched to wool straight skirt; bodice hem caught at left hip, tacked with satin bow, hem piped in satin; center back zipper closure; neckline faced in navy georgette; skirt lined in navy china silk. Jacket: Cardigan; above-hip length; long sleeves, ribbed knit cuffs; flat square collar stitched below ribbed knit round neck; satin border along open front; lined in navy georgette. Garment structure This ensemble features a drop-waisted shift that combines a cashmere sweater top and a below-knee length wool skirt. The bodice is sewn to the skirt at the top of the ribbing and at the hem. Bust darts have been added at the side seams, georgette facings on the front and back enhance the fit inconspicuously. The bodice hem edge is draped at the left hip and tacked with a signature satin bow. A piping is inserted under the sweater hem. An extended center back zipper facilitates dressing. Gift of Mr. Robert Winthrop, 1986.

Background Mainbocher’s fashions never specifically referenced the work of another designer, but his high-waisted collection for Fall 1958 clearly offered women an alternative to Balenciaga’s unfitted sack dress of the previous year. This dress, with its strapless, deep décolleté, sent his clients a strong signal regarding silhouette and femininity. It was photographed and featured in the "New York Post" on October 4, 1958. Description Empire line; full-length; strapless, draped bra bodice, ends wrapping to left side; flared skirt, joined under bust; bias seams at center front and back; curved V hem vent at center front; boned silk bodice lining in black silk crepe de chine, grosgrain waistband; short black faille taffeta half slip; skirt lined in peacock-blue silk. Garment structure An unseen boned inner bodice supports the high-waisted bodice shell, showcasing Mainbocher’s mature approach to the strapless form he originally innovated in 1934. The skirt is bias-seamed at center front and back, featuring a curved V-shaped notched vent at center front. A silk faille taffeta half slip is joined to the bodice under the bust, beginning at the bodice bottom edge and ending about 18” below the zipper. The dress has pinked seams and a numbered tape label identifying it as a model garment. Gift of Mrs. Wilda Symonds, 1985.

Background This long-sleeved evening dress achieves its timeless quality through Mainbocher’s smooth-fitted silhouette. Otherwise devoid of surface ornament, it relies solely on the ornate beauty of its textile and its graceful lines. Description Full-length; wide round neckline; long, narrow set-in sleeves, slightly gathered at shoulder, elbow darts, zipper wrist; shaped to natural waist with drop-waisted 2½" bias peplum; flared skirt, extending beneath bodice to natural waist, front panel cut on bias; center back zipper; lined in pink china silk; wide cream grosgrain waistband. Garment structure The dress interior is backed with a plain weave silk; a wide grosgrain waist stay is stitched in at the natural waistline. Typical of Mainbocher garments, the zipper is hand-picked with tiny running stitches. The hem edge of the flared skirt is finished with a narrow silk binding to prevent the metallic threads of the textile from fraying. The toile tape label within distinguishes this dress as the house sample model. Gift of Mrs. Wilda Symonds, 1985.

Background Mainbocher shaped Mary Martin’s costumes for her role in the original Broadway production of "The Sound of Music" to reflect her character’s unsophisticated background. This unadorned coat and dress worn in Act II is in keeping with Maria’s subdued nature and its simplicity is consistent with her home sewing skills. (Maria makes clothes for herself and the children in the musical’s first act.) The musical opened on November 16, 1959. Description Coat: A-line; below-knee length; notched collar; bracelet-length sleeve with slashed turn-back cuff; patch pockets at front hips; no closure; lined in mint green silk shantung. Dress: Fitted; below-knee length; open round neck, tie-effect V-shaped appliqué band around neckline; sleeveless; straight skirt; attached self belt with D-shaped covered buckle; center back zipper closure; lined in pea green China silk; boned foundation bodice in cream cotton twill. Garment structure A complex inner foundation is specifically constructed for the garment’s theatrical use and is constructed of an off-white tightly-woven cotton. It is sewn into the bodice and lightly boned at the center front and side seams and has a wide petersham waist stay. Its thin straps are made of fine-gauge, flesh-tone tulle. Small bust enhancers are stitched within. The dress’s self-fabric belt is sewn to the lower portion of the bodice, concealing the waist seam. It is finished with a fabric-covered non-working buckle; it actually overlaps at center back and fastens with a snap closure. The lapped zipper at center back is hand-sewn. The dress seams, hem, and foundation garment are hand-overcast finished. Designed for Mary Martin as "Maria Rainer." Gift of Mary Martin

Background Revisiting a theme he explored in 1949 for Millicent Rogers, another Best-Dressed List celebrity, Mainbocher created this straightforward interpretation of Tyrolean folk attire for Mary Martin as "Maria Rainer" in the first act of "The Sound of Music." This dress fuses ethnic-style scrolling braid with a contemporary silhouette. The musical opened on November 16, 1959. Description Semi-fitted, mid-calf length; round neck, narrow self-ruffle collar; three-quarter length sleeve, gathered cap, elasticized ruffle cuff; draped waistband; circular cut skirt, fuller in back, pleated at waist; braid in looped design centered with row of braid "buttons" on center bodice and around lower skirt; center back zipper closure; lined in grey china silk; cream grosgrain waist stay. Garment structure The dress, with its mounting neck and gentrified dirndl skirt, is hand trimmed with scrolling braid in a stylized Tyrolean design. A half circle in width, the skirt is cut with the cross-grain at center front and has a bias seam at center back. Its front is softly gathered and features a shallow, unpressed center front box pleat. From its sides, its fullness explodes toward the center back seam, and is directed by back-facing knife pleats. The draped waistband is sewn onto the dress and shirred at the center back. In the manner of a backing, the china silk linings were first darted, then applied to the wrong side of the dress and sewn into the seams. The collar and sleeve ruffles have narrow 1/8” machine-stitched hems. All seams are overcast by hand, with a ribbon band at the waist. Gift of Mary Martin, 1968.

Background Mainbocher’s clients were confident that they could justify the expense of their wardrobes by the timelessness of his designs. This mink-trimmed, box-cut satin jacket is basically the same evening essential that he produced for years, with variations revolving around fabric and trim choice rather than shape and length. The jacket would have been paired with a sleeveless dress made of a matching or similarly-textured fabric. Description Box-cut; waist-length; round neck; three-quarter length set-in sleeves with 4" wide ranch mink roll cuff; rounded patch pockets at lower front; single center-front covered button at throat on front band, bound buttonhole; body lined in fur. Garment structure The fur lining of the jacket body is repeated at sleeve end as a deep double-sided cuff roll. The sleeves are lined with silk; the rounded patch pockets are hand-sewn. The single bound buttonhole at the throat is shaped at the end so that the covered dome button will set properly. Gift of Mr. Robert Winthrop, 1986.

Background Art patron Ethel Scull collected clothes the way she and her husband, Robert, collected paintings: with an eye for innovation tempered by quality. Her eclectic wardrobe of the 1960s sampled works by virtually every important designer of the time. Although known for her avant garde tastes, she also recognized the value of classically conservative clothing. Mainbocher has here provided her with a timeless dinner suit, which conforms to his styling recipe for combining three interesting, contrasting textiles. Description Jacket: Camel wool; single-breasted, three-button; waist-length; round collar, notched lapel; bracelet-length, set-in, three-piece sleeve; inset band at chest level; 2" waistband; large camel composition buttons; lined in cream satin. Skirt: Black wool; below-knee length; lightly gathered in front to 1" waistband; left side zipper closure; lined in camel china silk. Blouse: Satin; fitted shell; high, rounded notched neck; sleeveless; godets at front and back hem; center back zipper closure; lined in white silk. Garment structure The single-breasted jacket has a decorative horizontal 2” band inset above the bust, providing an inconspicuous means of lightly fitting the jacket to the body. The jacket tapers to fit the waist, which is defined by a band of the same dimension as bust. The bound buttonholes are shaped at the ends so that the buttons will set properly when fastened. The three-panel below-knee length skirt flares lightly at the hem. The skirt is flat-lined, the silk and wool joined by machine-stitching. The hem is hand-finished. Deceptively simple, the blouse has inset godets at front and back hip level to create fullness. A horizontal pinched tuck defines the front waistline and ensures that it will lie flat. The center back zipper is hand-sewn and extends below the hemline for ease of wear. The lower edge is machine-stitched and left raw to avoid bulk. Gift of Ethel Scull, 1976.