73 photographs of sketches and phototransfers, few items dated, one 29 March 1916, and one 1916
Fragment of scrapbook cover
30 sketches, models #51-#75, 8 annotated empty pages.
0.5 linear foot - Newspaper clippings of articles by and/or about Lucile (Lady Duff Gordon and about company)
Box #35 - Bound volume, 74 fashion plates. "Illustrations of English and Foreign Costume from Fifteenth Century to the Present Day." London: Henry Sotheran and Co. 1875. Undeclared plates from engravings by Paquet brothers (Hippolyte & Polidor). This monograph was disbound and pasted into a scrapbook. 74 engravings depicting historical English and foreign clothing of notable royalty and common people. The index pasted on the second page gives an order for the titles and names of the engravings presented in later pages. 21 plates are missing, among them Henry VIII and Marie-Josephe, Queen of Poland.
50 photographs, models #75-#105
Disbound scrapbook, 211 photographs of early [Old Lucile] sketches and 30 official Lucile phototransfers of sketches in 3 folders. In the enclosing slipcase is a folder with a loose photograph of a sketch. First sketch is a drawing of an evening gown designed by Lucile and photo-transferred onto glossy paper. Second sketch is for an evening gown, drafted in pencil and painted with gouache on transparent paper. Some of the items in this scrapbook have fabric swatches attached, and marks where the ones lost were glued. Among models: #67 "Celendine", #54 "Yussef", most of the titles appear of official phototransfers. Many items dated 1916, some with more precise dates. In the last folder US.NNFIT.SC.1.2.1.7 first picture is of a modeled complete garment, not a sketch.
5 items - Scrapbook cover art (fragments of covers)
14 photographs, models unnumbered
70 photographs of sketches and phototransfers, few items dated 1916, one 25 March, 1916. There are few photographs where the binding or an original sketch being pinned can be seen. Among the models "#48 "Venetia, #61 "Fair as Eve", #14 "Leap Gear", #69 "Sweet Lyra"
25 sketches .1-25. volume 72. All sketches are protected by Mylar sleeves.
Loose 40 sketches, wedding gowns from the 1920s (old-volume 72), in 2 folders Sketches numbered .1 to .40. Executed in a variety of styles by multiple artists that can be recognized throughout the collection, at least seven distinct artists. Mostly unsigned, and undated. One signed Mand T., and one stamped "Lucile Staff Inc. 22 East 56th St."
81 photographs of sketches and phototransfers. First picture in this folder is of a modeled complete garment, not a sketch. 7 items dated 1916; one of them 16 Jan, another 29 March "Pa[e]trouchka" of the same year. Among the sketches, #55 "Vendeta", #29 "Romance, #24 Jolie, #37 "Today is Sweet".
58 photographs, models #1-#24
15 sketches .26-40. volume 72. All sketches are encased in Mylar sleeves.
0.9 linear foot - Fashion plates and inspirational materials not created by Lucile or Lucile Ltd. staff. One scrapbook of newspaper clippings illustrating fashion, one scrapbook of fashion plates.
Disbound scrapbook, 170 photographs of autumn models from 1916, in 3 folders. The program for the premier fashion show of this line is available in--US.NNFIT.SC.1.3.4.1. The garments are annotated with a title and one line description for each ensemble, among them "A Song of Songs" and "Are You Prepared", #21 sports costume, #14 "Djer-kiss". Lucile, Ltd. couture houses in London and Paris were grimly affected by the First World War. In contrast, this line highlights opulence present in United States, especially high society of New York and Chicago. Produced the same year as Lady Duff Gordon's ready-to-wear line in collaboration with Sears Roebuck. [See--US.NNFIT.SC.1.1.10-12 for duplicates of this material, note inconsistency in titles (1916-1917 vs 1916)] Photographs taken at the studio
61 photographs, models #25-#47
26 sketches .1-.25 +1. unnumbered, volume 71
Loose 118 sketches of evening gowns from 1920s, most from mid-1920s, one item dated 1925, (old-volume .71), in 5 folders. Sketches are numbered from .1-.110; drafted in pencil, painted with gouache, and watercolor, some detailed in pen. [doublecheck - Some signed - Mand T., Alison, Evelyn, Dorothy, Louise Schabacker, Ethel Rabin (reproductions), and illegible signature that starts with a pictogram made up of letters and ends with "dverton". - doublecheck] Several drawings are stamped with "Lucile Staff, Inc. 22 East 56th St." Drawing .84 has a note at the top right corner: that reads "Lelong, Fall 1925", in a drawing .103 woman holding a cigarette, .106 has note that reads "Mrs. Flora B. Cammeron, This design is for an orchid or violet gown. Please send sample of light weight silk and lace in three shades."
25 sketches .26-.50 of volume 71
48 photographs, models #48-#78
Collection is comprised of model photographs, sketches, photographs of sketches, show programs, some newspaper and magazine clippings with articles about or by Lucile, order forms, advertisements, and fashion plates. Garment designs include theatrical costumes, wedding gowns, day and evening wear, tea gowns, lingerie and pajamas. Bulk of the collection consists of model photographs, fashion sketches, photographs of sketches and official phototransfers. In addition there are clippings of articles from different publications written by or about Lucile, she wrote regular columns for Hearst publications. Programs for the "Model Parades" introducing lines of clothing for several years. There are some photographs of Lucile's clients, and photographs of "Rose room" interiors of Lucile. Ltd from New York and Chicago locations. Inspirational and reference materials collected by Lucile and/or her staff, mainly fashion plates and newspaper clippings from different publications. Dates range from the early 1910s to the mid 1920s. Model photographs were glued in large format (12-14"w to 16-18"h) standard, blank books to order, referred throughout this finding aid as scrapbooks; there are 12 volumes in the collection. Bulk of original drawings that are arranged according to the type of clothing are loose, drawn on a heavy weight board; sketches for 1916 and 197-18 lines were glued into scrapbooks; there are 12 volumes of original drawings and 2 volumes of photographs and phototransfers. It is possible that two types of arrangement seen throughout the collection (most of Model photographs chronologically, most of sketches by type of clothing) are due to different purpose these materials served; sketches of period gowns or theatrical costumes could have been referred to time and time again for different productions or themed social events, whereas model photographs would have documented actual creation of such a garment at a certain point in time. It is also not clear why, but some scrapbooks with model photographs are reproduced in complete entirety, using same photo session materials some fully annotated.
Duff Gordon, Lucy, LadyBound scrapbook with articles written by Lady Duff Gordon or about Lucile, Ltd. from 1919, and 4 folder of photocopies of these articles to protect against further deterioration. Articles are the product of a clipping service with multiple copies of the same few articles from different publications.
Photocopies of items missing from "The Ideal Scrapbook" housed in slipcase 15. There are photocopies of covers from programs that are not present in the scrapbook, such as Lucile, Ltd. Fall 1918 and Spring 1915 covers. There are also photocopies of an article entitled "My Diary", a photocopy of a cover of "Les Ides Novelles de la Mode", and a photocopy of an article from February 17, 1918.
11 mounted color photocopies of Wedding Dresses
Photocopies of an article "Studies in Smartness" by Miss Violet Vanbrugh.
Photocopies of articles written about Lady Duff Gordon dating as far back as 1910, all of the originals of which are housed in "The Ideal Scrapbook". Among them a photocopy of Women's Wear Daily, Dec. 22, 1925 spread with article on furs.
Photocopies of programs from Lucile fashion shows from 1913 through 1923. Ordered is the same as in--US.NNFIT.SC.1.3.5.2, pages of each are clipped together.
Directional x01 - to locate moved material
Directional folder indicating location where original material can be seen
Directional folder contains 51 black and white photocopies of Coats and Wraps sketches from 1920's. Original sketches are glued in the 1916 scrapbook [SEE--US.NNFIT.SC.1.2.2.1-3 for originals]. Sketches come from Berley Studios (subscription service), signature of Ethel Rabin can be seen on some, but for the most part the Berley Studios imprint is covered by that of Lucile Ltd., in some cases the signature of Ethel Rabin (of Berley Studios) is scratched out or otherwise obscured. They seem to be color phototransfers, not original drawings.
Directional folder to locate items which were part of old-US.NNFIT.SC.1.1.1.16 - Box 1
Directional folder to locate moved items
Directional x06 - to locate moved material