$3,200
A black cocktail dress owned by Gloria Swanson and designed by Scaasi. The short-sleeve knee-length dress with sheer floating panels has the original designer’s label. The item was originally acquired from Swanson’s 1983 estate auction conducted by Doyle Galleries of New York. Swanson was one of the most prominent stars of the silent film era and was nominated for the first Academy Award in the Best Actress category. She successfully transitioned into “talkies” in the film The Trespasser (United Artists, 1929). She later became best known for her role as Norma Desmond in the critically acclaimed film Sunset Boulevard (Paramount, 1950). Apart from her fame as a film star, Swanson was also a fashion icon of her era, noted for wearing distinctive couture designs, including Scaasi. Scaasi (Arnold Isaacs) was a favorite designer of Presidential First Ladies and members of Hollywood’s elite and created original garments for clients ranging from Mamie Eisenhower and Laura Bush to Joan Crawford and Lauren Bacall. In 1996, he was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award. Over the years, major retrospectives of his work have been presented at various venues, including Kent State University, Ohio State University, the Fashion Institute of Technology, and the New-York Historical Society. The inaugural gown that Scaasi designed for Barbara Bush is on display in the Smithsonian Institution. Accompanied by a certificate of authenticity. PROVEN
Auctioneer:
Juliens Auctions
Date:
2015-11-20
