Área de identidad
Código de referencia
Título
Fecha(s)
- 1978 December 19 (Creación)
Nivel de descripción
Volumen y soporte
MPEG file, 26 minutes, 15 seconds. Original media format: reel to reel tape. 1 transcript.
Área de contexto
Nombre del productor
Historia biográfica
Vera Maxwell was New York City in 1901. She trained as a ballet dancer and joined the Metropolitan Opera Ballet in 1919. In 1924, she married Raymond J. Maxwell and shortly after began her first foray into the fashion world as a model for a wholesale company, eventually starting to sketch, design and model her own clothes in 1929. By 1936 Vera's designs were receiving positive reviews in the fashion press and her freelance collections were receiving attention in New York. She was also designing for 7th Avenue firms such as Adler and Adler, Glenhunt and Max Milstein. Vera opened Vera Maxwell Originals in 1946 and became known for her classic separates and suits, dresses teamed with jackets, print dresses, Chesterfield coats and Wraparound jersey dresses. During the war years, she gained a reputation for her practical sense, which was evident in the one-piece overalls she designed for female factory workers. Her simple lapel-less suits were spare and gave no hint of having been stripped of their decorations, which demonstrated her skill at overcoming the fabric rations of the time. Other innovations Vera became known for were her desire to design for women of short height, or without a model's figure and for women whose jobs took them beyond their desks. In 1974, she designed a "speedsuit" made of jersey with an elasticized waist, which could be pulled on in just 17 seconds. Vera closed her business in 1985, eventually passing away in January 1995.
Nombre del productor
Historia biográfica
Director of the Library at FIT in the 1980s who played an integral role in the development of the institution's oral history collection.
Nombre del productor
Historia biográfica
Grace Kelly was an American actress. She married Prince Rainier of Monaco in 1956, becoming Princess Grace of Monaco.
Institución archivística
Historia archivística
Origen del ingreso o transferencia
Área de contenido y estructura
Alcance y contenido
This interview consists of two main portions, the first being a casual conversation between Vera Maxwell and Princess Grace while looking at a photo album. The second portion is a formal interview by FIT's John Touhey with Princess Grace.
In the first portion, Maxwell and Princess Grace reminisce on their times together in Switzerland and their mutual love of tweed. The photo album prompts conversation regarding the accelerating rate of change in fashion, various hemlines, and fashionable silhouettes. The loose fitting styles popular at the time of the interview prompt Maxwell to repeatedly mention classic tailoring and body types. Press coverage of the fashion industry as well as coverage of Princess Grace's style is also discussed.
In the formal interview with John Touhey, Princess Grace describes her relationship with Vera Maxwell and then moves on to discuss trends in women's fashion and how they relate to personal style. She mentions her particular distaste for the "sack look" (likely referring to the gunney sack dress) and mini skirts, both popular styles at the time of the interview. Dior, Saint Laurent, Ben Zuckerman, and Vera Maxwell are all mentioned as favorite designers. An American film actress before becoming the Princess of Monaco, Kelly often had a large hand in developing her film costumes and she discusses working with costumer Edith Head while filming with Alfred Hitchcock.
There is also an interview with Nancy White about 2/3rds into the transcript.
Valorización, destrucción y programación
Acumulaciones
Sistema de arreglo
Área de condiciones de acceso y uso
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Notas sobre las lenguas y escrituras
Características físicas y requisitos técnicos
Instrumentos de descripción
Área de materiales relacionados
Existencia y localización de originales
Existencia y localización de copias
- Listen to this interview on YouTube: https://youtu.be/jQkbgi0-bHo
Unidades de descripción relacionadas
- Legacy audio ID no: AOH01
Área de notas
Identificador/es alternativo(os)
Puntos de acceso
Puntos de acceso por materia
Puntos de acceso por lugar
Puntos de acceso por autoridad
- Munkacsi, Martin (Materia)
- White, Nancy (Materia)
- Maxwell, Vera, 1901-1995 (Materia)
- Madame Grès, 1903-1993 (Materia)
- Grace, Princess of Monaco, 1929-1982 (Materia)
- Snow, Carmel, 1890-1961 (Materia)