Brocade Evening Dress (2nd Use)

Accession Number: M.80.185.1


Label 1: 1 Piece Dress, USA, c.1952

Label 2: Mrs Chas Swett, Poss Gift, 8/27/80


Note: This project is not considered complete until every scrap of deaccessioned fabric has found a use. Often this means that a single deaccessioned garment may yield raw materials for multiple new items. In this instance, the garment has previously yielded an umbrella.

This floor-length, form-fitting dress is made of a green, pink, and orange check silk with a silver brocaded pattern of stylized birds, flowers, and crabs. The check of this fabric is uneven, with up to 1/2” variation in the width of the stripes. The garment has a boned lining of darker green silk with three hanging straps; it fastens up the back with a series of hooks, eyes, and a zipper.

During the previous deconstruction, the lining was removed and all seams were removed from the dress. For this project, all seams, darts, boning, and the zipper were removed from the lining.

A pattern was drafted. Pieces were cut from the silk brocade and the fanny pack was sewn together. The garment’s original zipper was used to close the pack’s main compartment. An original snap was used to secure the flap on the pack’s secondary compartment. To form the straps, two 4” strips of fabric were cut from the green silk lining fabric. Each strip was folded in half, and then each half was folded again until two 1” wide straps were created. Each strap was top-stitched, and one end of each was attached to the fanny pack. The other ends of the straps were secured to a side release buckle.

The accession number has been embroidered on the front flap.

Korean Coat (Jeogori) (2nd Use)

Accession Number: CR.356.66.2

Label: Coat, Korea, c.1960’s

Note: This project is not considered complete until every scrap of deaccessioned fabric has found a use. Often this means that a single deaccessioned garment may yield raw materials for multiple new items. In this instance, the garment has previously yielded a kite.

The body of this coat is made of a gauzy green synthetic material with a woven medallion pattern. This is lined with a green synthetic tulle. After construction, the garment was stamped with a design in silver paint. In places, this paint has seeped through the fabric and stained the tulle lining. The sleeves of the coat are made of similar materials in a variety of colors and have been pieced together to form stripes. The sleeves are lined with white tulle.

During previous deconstruction, one sleeve was removed from this coat. During this deconstruction, the white tulle lining was removed from the second sleeve and a a panel of green fabric was removed from the front of the garment.

A bee keeper’s helmet pattern was drafted. Six identical pieces of green fabric were cut and sewn together together to form the crown of the hat. Four loops of green fabric were formed and sewn equidistant from each other to the inside edge of the crown. A large piece of white tulle was sewn end to end to form a tube. On the lower edge of the tube, a small square of green fabric was sewn. A button hole was sewn into the center of the square. The bottom edge of the tulle was then folded up and sewn to create a wide hem. Two loops of elastic were also sewn into the hem, one on either side of the green square. A strip of green fabric was folded around a metal hoop and sewn closed. This fabric covered hoop was then sewn to the inside of the tube at an angle, with the back of the hoop several inches closer to the top of the tube and the front of the hoop, several inches lower. The top of the tulle tube was then sewn to the crown of the hat. Then, a second metal hoop was inserted into the crown of the hat, just above this seam. The crown and tulle sections were next folded over over the hoop and sewn together, forming the brim of the hat. A piece of elastic was threaded through the four tabs in the crown of the hat and the ends tied together. A separate piece of elastic was threaded through the button hole on the bottom edge of the tulle, threaded through the hem, and then back out the button hole. The ends of the elastic were tied together.

The accession number has been embroidered on the back crown portion of the hat.

Boy’s Korean Coat (Jeogori)

Accession Number: A.8416.64-3c


Label 1: Boy's Costume, Coat, Korea

Label 2: Gift of Miss Younghee Choy


The Body of this child-sized coat is made of gauzy, light blue, synthetic material with a woven pattern of grapes and grape leaves. This is lined with white plastic netting. The coat closes in the front with a pair of long, light blue ties. There is a white piece of fabric at the collar. There is small black piping where the collar connects to the garment. On the left side of the garment there is a strip of thin black piping and a ridge of fabric triangles in white, purple, pink, red, yellow, and green. After construction, the garment was stamped with medallions and decorative designs in bronze paint.

During deconstruction the collar and lining were detached from the left front panel of the coat and this panel was removed.

A dog's neck was measured. A 3" wide strip of fabric was cut from the fabric panel, being careful that the line of black piping and fabric triangles was included, but off-center. The strip was folded in half and pressed. Each half was folded in half inwards and pressed, creating a 3/4" wide strap of fabric. Each long side of this strap was top-stitched. The female portion of a metal side-release buckle was threaded onto one end of the strap and sewn into place. A metal D-ring was threaded onto the strap. The male portion of the side-release buckle was threaded onto the remaining end of the strap and sewn into place. The D-ring was slid down until it was approximately 3/4" from the male portion of the buckle and sewn into place.

The accession number was engraved on a bone-shaped dog tag and attached to the D-ring on the dog collar.

Herbert Levine High-Heel Shoe (Right Shoe)

(shown here with accompanying left shoe)

Accession Number: CR.447.68.1b


Label: Herbert Levine, 8 1/2AAA 8625


This is a woman’s high-heel shoe made from black suede. The pointed toe is tipped with a small piece of grey leather. There is a grey leather bow attached to the toe of the shoe. The inside of the show is lined with soft grey leather.

During the deconstruction the bow was detached. The body of the shoe was cut in half and the front portion was severed from the sole. A thin fabric batting was found between the outside suede and the inside leather and this was removed.

The following parts were salvaged from a worn-out watchband: a tang-type buckle, two removable spring pins, and two small plastic tubes. Using the remains of this band, a pattern was drafted. A thin layer of glue was applied between the outside suede and inside leather, and the two were bonded together. Pieces were cut for both the buckle end and tongue end of the strap. On the tongue end, one end of the grey leather was separated from the suede, cut off, and discarded. A salvaged plastic tube was placed at the cut end of the suede and the remaining flap of suede was folded over it. The flap was glued into place. A running stitch was hand sewn around the outside edge of the tongue portion using grey silk thread. Several holes were pierced though the tongue. A salvaged spring pin was inserted through the glued-in plastic tube and this pin was used to attach the tongue portion of the strap to the lugs on one side of the watch face. The bow was untied. From it, two small strips were fashioned and these were formed into loops that were both glued and sewn. On both ends of the buckle portion of the strap the grey leather was separated from the suede, trimmed, and discarded. On one end, a salvaged tube was placed, the suede was wrapped around it, and both were glued into place. At the other end, a slit was made in the suede and the buckle tang was threaded through. One of the two leather loops was threaded onto the buckle piece of the strap and positioned near the buckle. The suede was wrapped around the buckle, over the loop, and glued into place. A running stitch was hand sewn around the outside edge of the buckle portion using grey silk thread. The remaining leather loop was threaded onto the buckle portion of the strap. The remaining spring pin was inserted into the rubber tube and used to secure the buckle portion of the strap to the lugs on the other side of the watch face.

The accession number was painted onto the second leather loop.

(The watchband is shown here with accompanying left shoe)

Ben Zuckerman Dress

Accession Number: CR.462.68.17a


Label 1: ben zuckerman, New York

Label 2: I. MAGNIN & co.

Label 3: Black & White, printed silk twill c.1965, Deaccession 8-18-81


This plus-sized, sleeveless dress is made of patterned silk in tones of black, grey, and cream. It is lined with black silk. The bust of the dress is tailored with four darts. The top portion of the dress tapers at the waist, which is formed by a thin strip of fabric. From there, the three fabric panels of the skirt portion of the dress flare out slightly, with several small pleats in the front and two tucks in the back. Hidden in the seams on either side of the front panel are two pockets. A zipper extends more than halfway down the center back of the dress.

During deconstruction the lining and zipper were removed. All seams were removed. Upon examination, it was evident that the dress had been altered. The strip of fabric at the waist had been added to expand the waist slightly; along the back seam of the skirt portion, the dress has been taken in several inches.

2” strips of patterned fabric were cut and sewn together to make a strip 102” long. An identical strip was formed using the black lining fabric. Both strips were sewn to each other to form a tube and the edges were top-stitched to create a flattened strap. Several 3 1/2” wide strips of patterned fabric were cut and sewn together to make a strip 133” long. Onto the right half of this wider strip, the smaller strap, patterned side up, was sewn into a series of fifty loops, each sized to fit a 12-gauge shotgun shell. The wide strip was then folded in half, sewn into a tube and the sides topstitched. One end of the strap was fitted inside the other to form a right angle and sewn into place to finish the bandoleer.

The accession number was embroidered to a strip of black lining fabric and appliquéd to the right angled portion of the bandoleer.