Black History Monday: Ann Lowe
The wedding gown on the right was worn by Jacqueline Bouvier on September 12, 1953, the day she married John F Kennedy. It is a part of African-American History. Why? This dress was designed by African-American fashion designer Ann Lowe.
Ann Lowe was born in Alabama in 1899, the daughter and granddaughter of dressmakers who designed for Alabama's first ladies. When Ann was 16 her mother passed away, and Ann completed the projects her mother had been working on. She then went on to design school in New York, where she was shunned by her white classmates. She didn't let them get to her. Instead, she concentrated on her studies. It paid off. Her customers included the DuPonts, Roosevelts, Posts, Biddles, Rockefellers, Auchinclosses, and other families that were listed in the Social Register. They loved her work. She was known as "society's best kept scecret," because, of course, no one would admit their clothing was being designed by a black woman. I can't help but wonder how different her life and career would have been today. Perhaps she would have been as well known and has wealthy as Vera Wang.
Things were, indeed, difficult for Ms Lowe. She never gave up, however, especially when a ruptured water line flooded her store 10 days before the future First Lady's wedding, destroying the dress and all others that had been made for the occasion. But Ms Lowe managed to remake all the dresses in time for the wedding. Later, in 1962 she lost her store due to back taxes, and lost her eye due to glaucoma. After the glaucoma surgery, when she was released from the hospital, she found that an annonymous benefactor had paid her all her debts. (The Kennedys, perhaps?) However, she developed cataracts in her other eye. Luckily, surgery saved the eye and she went ahead with plans to open a store on Madision Avenue. She retired in the '70s and passed away in the early '80s.
I have seen pictures of the wedding dress before, but they were always side views. I had thought there was only one circle detail on the side, but they seem to be all around the dress. To be honest, I don't really care for the dress. (Neither did Jackie, I've read. Her mother insisted that she wear it.) However, none of that matters today. What matters is that Ann Lowe be recognized for who she is: an African-American Fashion Pioneer.
Buzzing off for now...
Ann Lowe was born in Alabama in 1899, the daughter and granddaughter of dressmakers who designed for Alabama's first ladies. When Ann was 16 her mother passed away, and Ann completed the projects her mother had been working on. She then went on to design school in New York, where she was shunned by her white classmates. She didn't let them get to her. Instead, she concentrated on her studies. It paid off. Her customers included the DuPonts, Roosevelts, Posts, Biddles, Rockefellers, Auchinclosses, and other families that were listed in the Social Register. They loved her work. She was known as "society's best kept scecret," because, of course, no one would admit their clothing was being designed by a black woman. I can't help but wonder how different her life and career would have been today. Perhaps she would have been as well known and has wealthy as Vera Wang.
Things were, indeed, difficult for Ms Lowe. She never gave up, however, especially when a ruptured water line flooded her store 10 days before the future First Lady's wedding, destroying the dress and all others that had been made for the occasion. But Ms Lowe managed to remake all the dresses in time for the wedding. Later, in 1962 she lost her store due to back taxes, and lost her eye due to glaucoma. After the glaucoma surgery, when she was released from the hospital, she found that an annonymous benefactor had paid her all her debts. (The Kennedys, perhaps?) However, she developed cataracts in her other eye. Luckily, surgery saved the eye and she went ahead with plans to open a store on Madision Avenue. She retired in the '70s and passed away in the early '80s.
I have seen pictures of the wedding dress before, but they were always side views. I had thought there was only one circle detail on the side, but they seem to be all around the dress. To be honest, I don't really care for the dress. (Neither did Jackie, I've read. Her mother insisted that she wear it.) However, none of that matters today. What matters is that Ann Lowe be recognized for who she is: an African-American Fashion Pioneer.
Buzzing off for now...
13 comments:
I am the eldest great grand daugther of Ann Lowe. I am very please to see her get the recognition she finally deserves.
Hello Everyone,
I must say I know the young lady who wore the last dress, this fantastic designer made. And Elizabeth speaks voulumes of love, respect and admiration of her wedding gown and many dresses that this darn good dress makes made for recitals, piano competitions, and many other functions. I fell in love with her work.
I thought you saying that you didn't like the dress at the end was self indulgent and unnecessary. It detracts from the rest of the entry which was quite informative and intersting.
To Ann Lowes' Great grand daughter...I have some questions to ask you regarding your Great Grandmother...Please contact me at Renita60@msn.com
Regards,
Renita Thomas-Franklin
writer
I wrote a book, THE THREADS OF TIME,THE FABRIC OF HISTORY, 38 Profiles of Afro-American Designers and their Contributions to the World of Fashion, 2007, 3rd edition, 288 pp. black and white photos. $24.95, email: toaststrawberries2hotmail.com.
Ann Lowe is pictured on the cover with Jackie and jack Kennedy. On the back, pictured is Elizabeth Keckley, who designed by Mary Lincoln.
It's so important for people to know that there was wonderful talent from the 1600s to date. Rosemary E. Reed Miller
Maybe the writer didn't like the dress, but now Vera wang and others are designing dresses that look just like Ann Lowe's dress. 7/27/08
If someone knows how to get in touch with the poster Tanisham, please let me know. I grew up in Queens, NY and was babysat by a woman named Ruth Alexander, who we all called "Nan" as she was my Godsister & Godbrother's grandmother. She was the assistant to Anne Lowe (who I grew up calling "Miss Anne)during the time Jackie Kennedy's dress was made and later took care of her when she went blind. Miss Ann lived with Nan up until she died in the early 80's. I remember climbing in bed with her and cuddling and how she knew each and every one of us by the sound of our footsteps on the stairs on in the hallway...
Great memories...
It was not really necessary for the writer to comment that she did not like the dress it did not add to the article; as people we should be supportive of American History and not give our opinion on it.
Jackie Kennedy wanted a simple, classic dress, something like what Vera Wang designed for her bridal line for years.
What is so interesting is that for the last 3 years, or so, Wang has designed dresses that look almost identical to Ann Lowe's dress !!!...and the market seems to be changing...all bridal for the last 10 years have been strapless..now they are having the small sleeve--similar to those that Ann designed for her Jackie wedding Dress...AND flowery decorations on the skirt of the dress--just like Ann's. [Many designers do go to the museums to look at dresses.
Ann Lowe designed many bridal and cotillion dresses n her 60+ years of designing.She never repeated a design. Jackie's dress was unique.
There are 19 of Ann's dresses in the Costume Collection at the Museum of Modern Art, 81st Street, New York City]
comment by:
Rosemary E. Reed Miller, author, The Threads of Time, the Fabric of History, 38 Profiles of Afro-American Designers from 1850 to the Present, 288 pp, 2007. Email: Rosemaryreed4@hotmail.com, available in bookstores or through Amazon.com.
I am very excited to have come across this blog regarding Ann Lowe. My Aunt lived in Queens and worked for Ann Lowe as a seamstress in the 60's. She worked on the wedding dress and other dresses for Jacquie and other society dresses. My Aunt always told us stories of when she worked there, even to my daughter up until she passed away last June at the age of 85.
GAlessi
Scottsdale
P R E S S R E L E A S E
Enjoy a talk by the author Rosemary E. Reed Miller, about her book, THE THREADSOF TIME, THE FABRIC OF HISTORY, 38 PROFILES OF AFRICAN AMERICAN DESIGNERS AND DRESSMAKERS FROM 1850 to 1950, 2nd Edition, T & S Press, 2007, Black and white photos, index, 288 pages. ISBN 0-970-9713-0 In the program, Ms. Reed Miller combines history and little known facts such as
For example, did you know:
Ann Lowe designed the wedding dress for Jackie Kennedy, the most photographed wedding dress in American history. People's Magazine in 1999 voted the wedding dress as the most beautiful dress ever. The New York Times covered the 1953 wedding, wrote about the dress and did not mention the designer. Years ago, when the cataloguer Franklin Mint made a doll with a replica of the wedding dress, they listed the artist as 'Oleg Cassini. A small detail, but typical of the problem of documenting the contribution of African Americans to American history.
Zelda Wynn, who ended her career designing costumes for the Dance Theatre of Harlem, is another interesting lady. She had a dress shop across from Carnegie Hall in the 1950's. She designed for the New York City entertainment elite. Their limos would be lined up around the block. She designed for singers and actress Dorothy Dandridge, and Joyce Bryant. Zelda, who lived to she was 96. She died in 1996. Zelda loved to talk about the fashion shows she did for the Playboy Club, and that she designed the Play Boy Bunny costume.
Rosa Parks is also profiled in the book. Many people did not know that she worked as a seamstress for the May department store in Montgomery, Alabama.
Another special lady who was not lost in history because she wrote a book about her experiences is Elizabeth Keckley, who designed for Mary Lincoln. The dress she designed for Lincoln's inauguration is shown in the First ladies Exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution.
Reed- Miller has spotlighted this small, but interesting area of achievement in her book which profiles 38 women in the fiber industry as well as their contribution to the fabric of history. The women are mostly from America, but three of the women, Hazel Blackman, Claudia Robinson, and Pamela Botchway are from Jamaica, and Ghana, respectively.
The book, which retails for $24.99, is available from Baker & Taylor, in museum shops, libraries, Amazon.com, and from book stores. For further information: Tel. 202- 723-9007,Fax. 202- 723-2246; E-mail: Toastandstrawberries.com
Rosemary E. Reed Miller, Author,
The Threads of Time, the Fabric of History,
3rd Edition, 2007, 288 pp, B & W pictures
Email: rosemaryreed4@hotmail.com
I read a book last summer called The Kennedy Women" and that is where I first heard of Anne Lowe. After that, I was telling everyone I could about her being the lady who designed and made Jackie Bouvier Kennedy's wedding dress. Yes, A Woman, A Black Woman, An African American, A SISTAH! Thank you Lord! Sincerely, Patrice Evans Hunter
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