collection SC.109 - Lilly Daché collection, 1935-1966

Identity area

Reference code

US NNFIT SC.109

Title

Lilly Daché collection, 1935-1966

Date(s)

  • 1935-1966 (Creation)

Level of description

collection

Extent and medium

0.5 linear feet

Context area

Name of creator

(1898-1989)

Biographical history

Born in 1898 in the Bordeaux region of France, Lilly Daché received her millinery training under the famed Parisian milliners Caroline Reboux and Susan Talbot. In the early 1920s, she made her way to the United States and by 1924 had become part owner of The Bonnet Shop, which was eponymously named after the departure of her partner, shortly into the venture. The 1930s saw the business find great success with many Hollywood actresses patronizing the talents of the House of Daché. In 1931, Daché married COTY vice-president Jean Despres, in whom she found a warm and supporting partner through out her life. In 1940, Daché received the Neiman Marcus Award and the following year the Coty American Fashion Critics Award. The 1940s would also see her offer cosmetics and clothing to her clients as well as imported couture models of clothes and hats from Paris. When the demand for hats declined in the 1960s, Daché opened a hair salon on her premises and also sold wigs. In 1968, at the age of 73, Daché retired and liquidated her business assets. She died in Louvecienne, France in 1989. One of the many illustrious protegées who trained under Daché was Halston, who left her employ in 1958 to take the job of milliner for Bergdorf Goodman.

Archival history

Immediate source of acquisition or transfer

Content and structure area

Scope and content

This collection contains original sketches of clothing and millinery purportedly by Daché herself, as well as sketches of models from Parisian couture houses dating to the 1950s. A selection of black and white press photographs and accompanying press releases documents her millinery output between 1962 and 1966.

Appraisal, destruction and scheduling

Accruals

System of arrangement

  • collection
  • series
  • folder

Conditions of access and use area

Conditions governing access

Access is open to researchers by appointment at the Fashion Institute of Technology Library, Department of Special Collections and College Archives. If you have any questions, or wish to schedule an appointment contact us at fitlibsparc@fitnyc.edu or call (212) 217-4385.

Conditions governing reproduction

The Department of Special Collections and College Archives does not own copyright for all material held in its physical custody. It is the researcher's obligation to abide by and satisfy copyright law (http://www.copyright.gov/title17/92chap1.html#108) when copying or using materials (including digital materials) found in or made available from the department. When possible, the department will inform a researcher about the copyright status of material, the researcher's obligations with regard to such material, and, wherever possible, the owner or owners of the copyrights. Any and all reproduction of originals is at the archivist's discretion.

Language of material

  • English
  • French

Script of material

    Language and script notes

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    Finding aids

    Allied materials area

    Existence and location of originals

    The Library of the Fashion Institute of Technology, Department of Special Collections and FIT Archives, 27th St. at 7th Ave., NY, NY, USA, 10001 Fashion Institute of Technology-SUNY, Gladys Marcus Library, Special Collections

    Existence and location of copies

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    Status

    Level of detail

    Dates of creation revision deletion

    Language(s)

    • English

    Script(s)

      Sources

      Accession area