A blue and yellow block print robe designed by a legendary African-American fashion designer Arthur McGee (main picture).
The robe is made of yellow cotton fabric block printed with black in a pattern of diamonds that alternate between filled and void. Inside each diamond is an oval, some are filled with lines. Large diamonds with a white and black striped border have yellow insides with black lines running through. Three blue hair combs are inside each triangle. The robe opens in the center front and has three-quarter length kimono sleeves. A self-fabric two-inch band is sewn to each side of the center front opening. The bands transition into a back collar and have a center back seam. Inseam pockets are sewn along each side seam. A center back seam is sewn on the robe, it is machine sewn and the interior seams are finished with machine overcast stitching. A woven fabric label is placed vertically and sewn along the center back seam. The label reads [me and mcgee / by arthur mcgee].
New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
Black Fashion Museum Collection
Arthur L. McGee was born in Detroit, Michigan in 1933. At the age of 18, he entered a contest to win a scholarship to attend Traphagen School of Design in New York and won after submitting the winning design. His inspiration came from his mother, who created her own fashions.
Arthur went on to study millinery and apparel design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). While attending FIT he began working for the American couturier Charles James. He later produced his own designs while pursuing employment in New York’s apparel manufacturing industry.
In 1957, Arthur became the first African-American to run the design room of an established Seventh Avenue apparel company, Bobby Brooks. His remarkable talent and the broad appeal of his work transcended racial barriers, selling to such stores as Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Henri Bendel, Bonwit Teller, Bergdorf Goodman, and Lord & Taylor. He went on to open his first store in the early 1960s on St. Mark’ s Place in New York City. He became the designer of choice for many celebrities, including Lena Horne, Cicely Tyson, and Stevie Wonder.
Arthur McGee was known as the dean of African-American designers, he mentored many young talents, including Aziza Braithwaite Bey (Elena Braith) and the late Willi Smith, paving the way for designers of color.
A blue and yellow block print robe designed by Arthur McGee. The robe is made of yellow cotton fabric block printed with black in a pattern
