This exhibit will present the life and work of the remarkable and influential American designer Ann Lowe from Sept. 9, 2023, to Jan. 7, 2024.
Ann Lowe defied racist attitudes and stereotypes to become a highly sought-after couturier that dressed an elite, high-society clientele.
As one of the first Black designers to achieve international prominence, Lowe’s work extends further than just her famous wedding dress worn by Jackie Kennedy.
In honor of Black History Month I will be highlighting several designers of color who were significant during their lifetimes but may not be household names today. First up is Ann Lowe, described by the Saturday Evening Post in 1964 as "Society's Best-Kept Secret." Speaking in the same interview Lowe remarked: "I like for my dresses to be admired. I like to hear about it—the oohs and ahs as they come into the ballroom. Like when someone tells me,'the Ann Lowe dresses were doing all the dancing a
Dress Ann Lowe, 1950s Whitaker Auctions
Ruby Bailey, Zelda Wynn Valdes, and Ann Lowe were three very different designers, united by their experiences as black female designers in mid-century New York City. Despite their differing design aesthetics, they faced the same racial and gender discrimination in their efforts to make names for the
Ann Lowe defied racist attitudes and stereotypes to become a highly sought-after couturier that dressed an elite, high-society clientele.
Judith Thurman on how a Black designer made her way among the white élite.
Once unknown, the fashion force who designed Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress is now hailed as a pioneering African-American couturier.
Manic Metallic provides a review and photos for "Ann Lowe: American Couturier", a fashion exhibit at the Winterthur Museum in Wilmington, DE.
Judith Thurman on how a Black designer made her way among the white élite.
Considered one of America’s most significant designers, Ann Lowe was born in Clayton, Alabama, around 1898 and reared in Montgomery. Her mother, Janie Cole Lowe, and her grandmother, Georgia Thompkins, were skilled dressmakers who sewed for wealthy white families in the state. And they taught Lowe to sew as early as age five.
In her prime, Ann Lowe was an established arbiter of American high-society style, delighting wealthy clients across the country with her beautiful designs. Her legacy, however, was nearly forgotten until recently.
Ann Lowe designed Jackie Kennedy's wedding gown and should get credit for her contributions to fashion history.
Ann Lowe was the go-to designer among the fashionable elite of the mid-20th century. But because of her race, they were loath to admit it.
Once unknown, the fashion force who designed Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress is now hailed as a pioneering African-American couturier.
Judith Thurman on how a Black designer made her way among the white élite.
Considered one of America’s most significant designers, Ann Lowe was born in Clayton, Alabama, around 1898 and reared in Montgomery. Her mother, Janie Cole Lowe, and her grandmother, Georgia Thompkins, were skilled dressmakers who sewed for wealthy white families in the state. And they taught Lowe to sew as early as age five.
She was an oddity fo her time, her aspirations were to see her designs worn by the most elite, those who could appreciate and well, afford..
Judith Thurman on how a Black designer made her way among the white élite.
Just 10 days before Jackie Bouvier became Jackie Kennedy, her wedding dress was destroyed. This is a story about what happened next to get her down the aisle to marry future President (then-Senator) John J. Kennedy in 1953, and about the little-known designer behind the gown, Ann Lowe.
Once unknown, the fashion force who designed Jacqueline Kennedy’s wedding dress is now hailed as a pioneering African-American couturier.
