OCTOBER 13, 2007 - JANUARY 5, 2008
 |
Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel (1883 – 1971) is the most famous and
influential designer of the 20th century. She helped launch the
quintessential 1920s flapper style of short skirts and straight
silhouettes, a vision of style that emphasized freedom and
modernity. Chanel was also one of the first to change direction
in the 1930s, dropping hemlines and emphasizing a more
form-fitting style. In 1954, Chanel made a successful comeback,
running the hugely successful house of Chanel until her death in
1971. The House of Chanel continues today under the direction of
Karl Lagerfeld. Florence Miller was the granddaughter of George Pullman, inventor of the Pullman railroad car. She wore this beautiful Chanel evening gown in 1926, a year before being presented at Court. Beginning in 1935, Miller gave the Chicago History Museum more than 150 dresses by not only Chanel, but also such designers as Callot Soeurs, Jeanne Paquin, and Madeleine Vionnet. |
|||||
| BACK | ||||||
| Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, evening gown, c.1926, France, worn by donor, Mrs. C. Phillip Miller, née Florence Lowden, photograph by Irving Solero | ||||||