Norman Norrell for I. Magnin-Couture? Lots of ???

Good thinking Justine. I normally do that and I was just so excited I forgot. I'll go tomorrow.

Sandra

 

Going to the thrift to find the belt, but are you guys sure there was a belt? There are no belt loops and no indication that there were belt loops. But maybe belt loops weren't common on high end designs? Although I have seen them on dresses. Hmmm.

Sandra

 

That coat is to die for.
In all my years of thrifting, I have only found 2 Norell's.
One was the most beautifully made chiffon cocktail dress and
I sold it to a collector.
At the moment I have a gorgeous Norell sheath with matching
jacket (60's I think). It is perfect except that the back zipper
of the dress is busted.

Norell clothes are exquisite.
camelbackcat
joey

 

Sandra, I'd like that label for the resource, if I may.

Is this late 60s? It would be great if someone found it in an ad or magazine copy!

Lizzie

 

Lizzie, see Hollis post (reply #2). There is a link to the FIT. Looks like the exact same coat in a different color. Says it was on the Vogue cover 1970.

 

Thanks, Brenda!

Lizzie

 

Amazing, amazing info and a STUNNING piece!!! I'm stil waiting for my 1st Norell.......thats a smashing one to find, at a thrift no less!!! Ang

 

Come to think of it, I found that cream Traina-Norell dress at a thrift in Brunswick, ME years ago.

Hollis

 

Lizzie,
please feel free to use it.

I was very surprised to find it at a thrift too Dorthea's Closet (I know I knew your name at one point, sorry.) but believe me, it was Waaay more than I ever spend at a thrift. They knew they had something special.

Just an update, I contacted Valerie Steele, the FIT curator and author. She told me she couldn't disclose how much the museum paid for the coat or appraise it, but offered some museums that might be interested in it. I might contact some auction houses as well. through blogging and writing, I made some contacts in NY. I will keep you posted.

Thanks everyone for your help with this.

Sandra

 

Another much clearer view with the same label:

http://www.antiquedress.com/item9708.htm

Hollis

 

I saw that coat in dark green at the FIT exhibit and it was one of my favorite pieces in the entire show. How wonderful that you found this! I am sure this should be belted. The one at FIT had a wide belt in matching velvet that sat above the waist seam.

 

Thanks Hollis! You are such an awesome detective!

I went back to look for the belt and it was no where to be found. I even asked the manager and he said no. I might go back tomorrow and check in unusual places. Well I guess that will bring down the price.

Jody, thanks for your comment. I thought it was pretty special too.

Now, who the heck is Denise 420 and why is her name on both these brown coats? Unless this is the same label I posted here? Not that I would care.

Sandra

 

Okay, I'm curious about Denise too!

 

Could Denise have been the seamstress and the code an employee number - used for quality control purposes??? The Denise and 420 at first glance appear to be hand written - but they are exact copies; so my guess is they were printed, albeit rudimentarily.

The labels on both coats are the same, but the picture of the other label is not yours Sandra if you look closely at the positioning.

 

Hi Deborah.
Yeah, my husband and I figured that out. I would never think that it was the same image except that it has the exact handwritten label. I don't think it was printed. I didn't think they looked like copies. But I can't be 100% sure.

I was thinking maybe Denis is the buyer?

Sandra

 

oh, that is Interesting. That's a sold long ago coat from antiquedress.com. It's not really on the active site Museum pages. I found it while searching for Mainbochers.

Maybe she worked for I Magnin

Hollis

 

Another thought - would one seamstress work solely on one piece? Perhaps, it's the name of the person responsible for quality control.

I doubt one individual would buy two of the same coat in the same colour - but if you have plenty of moula maybe one was kept in east coast penthouse and the other in Alaska - LOL.

I'm quite certain they are printed. On each Denise 420 you'll notice how the lettering is positioned more to left of the label, how the D is incomplete and the #2 positioned higher.

 

I was thinking more of a store buyer, not a customer buyer, but why would the buyer. But that doesn't make much sense does it.

I'm thinking your right Deborah.

But weren't printed tags sewn into the seam already being used in the 70s? Maybe 1970 was too early for that. Or this is such a high end item that they wouldn't dare insert a tag into the seam.

Sandra

 

Deborah,
I think you are right, they are identical tags. I just magnified them to the same size and they are identical.

I'm thinking quality control lady is Denise 420!

Now, why didn't anyone tell me I was being a dumb dumb and misspelled Norell ?!

Sandra

 

It's not a regular tag - it denotes something, but what ??? My gut says it's inhouse and that's why it's not slick. 420 could even denote the product # or line.

Someone more experienced will be able to answer better label in the seam. But I've still seen later tags not sewn in the seam.