Mainbocher

claireshaeffer

claireshaeffer

VFG Member
Sometime last year I bought a Mainbocher suit from Hollis. It has a gingham blouse and lining in the jacket. Very typical Mainbocher. He loved gingham and even did a metallic jacket with a "gingham" look. Hollis, I'm loving my suit more and more.

It didn't dawn on me when the suit arrived that the blouse/lining combo was one of the elements Chanel claims. Well, Main did it first in the forties. MCNY has an adorable suit with a printed silk blouse and lining.

When I went into this project, I knew very little about Mainbocher. He's a little earlier than the designers I've focused on most. The designs from his Paris years are incredible. Many are bias beauties. He loved to take a garment section and wrap it around the body to another section.

One of my favorites is a faille coat. It's woven with gilt in the weft and is very fragile. There's just a little hint of gilt when the fabric moves. The coat is very worn and much of the gilt was worn away. The coat front wraps around the arm and shoulder to form an incredible sleeve.

We have a great sketcher Michele Bryant who is making a sketch of this and a few other garments so you can understand the design better.
 
I am so glad! His work was always ladylike, but could be quite wonderful. I understand the examples from the Paris years are really quiet sought after.

This sounds like a project made in heaven for you - and I am a wee bit jealous

Hollis
 
Hollis, yes, you should be jealous. It would be wonderful to have you there to share both the design and construction techniques.

I can understand why the early designs are in demand. Many are very wearable today. The Am. period was greatly influenced by other factors and good but not quite as wonderful. C
 
Claire, the coat sounds wonderful - I love the look of matching lining with dress or blouse too. It always amazes me that designers can claim to "own" a particular innovation. It must be nice to be able to prove Chanel "wrong" :USEROCKY:

Nicole
 
Nicole,
I'm working hard on this. I found the "double" buttonhole on a jacket. I think Worth, but I'll have to check my notes. It was a bound buttonhole on the outside with a second bound buttonhole on the facing.

As you may remember, Chanel not only wouldn't let me visit their workroom, but they wouldn't let me visit their archives. When that happened, I expanded my research to see who had done what prior to the "Chanel suit."

A variety of things like the blouse/lining match and double buttonholes just fell into my lap. I think the chain is the only detail I haven't found on an early garment; other weights were used earlier and either hidden under the hems or facings or covered with fabric. Interestingly, it's the most-copied detail and was used on the licensed suits. in the fifties and sixties.

Another detail which I'm really enjoying is the cuff trim. Worth was often really over the top and, even though the sleeve shape and fabric was quite different, the Worth cuff could easily have influenced Chanel.

Another note about the Worths--some are completely handmade; and the sewing is absolutely divine. I can't wait for you to see the website.
 
Mythbusting - I love it! I think its often the case that its not a matter of who actually did it first, but who did it most prominently (and therefore gets to claim it as their own in future histories, if you get what I mean!) Dior is another example of this process.

Great detective work, Claire!

Sarah
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top