Background
A matching dress and jacket were Mainbocher staples in the years preceding World War II. This ensemble, made in Paris prior to the 1939 close of the Mainbocher salon, was imported and sold by a New York shop. The raised hemline reflects a Depression-era French conservatism toward fabric consumption, which would be magnified during the war, with its fabric shortages and short silhouettes to follow. This ensemble was paired with a post-production pair of matching gloves.
Description
Dress: Below-knee length; fitted bodice; 1½" wide grosgrain shoulder straps; rounded modified sweetheart neckline; mounting rounded neck back; mock placket at center front bodice; circular skirt; left side in-seam hook closure; front neckline, placket, and hem trimmed in cartridge-pleated grosgrain ribbon; unlined.
Jacket: Fitted; open center front with narrow sweetheart neckline; long set-in sleeve, buttoned wrist vent; cartridge-pleated grosgrain trim at neck and wrists; whip-stitched seams; navy taffeta lining.
Belt: Self fabric, cartridge-pleated grosgrain border; ¾" wide, pointed end; concealed closure.
Garment structure
Incorporated into the jacket are the following distinctive Mainbocher details: decorative grosgrain trim used at the sleeve vents; a collarless neckline and contrasting lining; and an interfacing located only at the hem as a structural support. In addition to maintaining a soft, rolled edge and preventing clinging at the hips, the interfacing added a little weight so the jacket would hang properly.
To reduce bulk at the dress’s edges as well as on its belt, the fabric has been folded to the right side and the trim applied over the raw edges. The dress fastens at the underarm with hooks and eyes. All the raw inner edges are overcast by hand.
Although fairly straight at its waist, the grain of the skirt begins to veer toward the proper left side, enhancing its hem fullness. In order to maintain symmetry, several short seamed fabric sections have been inserted into the proper right side toward hem level. To accomplish this transition without disrupting the pattern, the fabric is cut around the daisy print and then turned under, creating an irregular seam line noticeable only on the wrong side.
Gift of Mrs. Ralph K. Robertson, 1944.