What Fashion Looked Like in Vogue in 1946–the Year of the Costume Institute’s Founding

By Emily Ross On Sep 10, 2021

“Mrs. Stanley Grafton Mortimer, Junior [Babe Paley] wears palest blue with black. The news of this blue is the sudden character it has, with black…no longer candy-box pastel, but a colour that works like a flattering light. The dress, mat black rayon jersey; the pale yoke, simple as a sweater. Mrs. Mortimer adds a collar of pearls, a wonderful scramble of bracelets. The dress is a Traina-Norell design.” — VoguePhotographed by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, March 1, 1946

It’s important to remember that the Costume Institute is a living archive, a place where fashion history is preserved and designers come for inspiration. In 1946, the year of the Institute’s founding, the pages of Vogue were filled with talents whose work is now part of the Metropolitan Museum’s permanent collection.

Among the stars of 1946 were many female designers, including Claire McCardell, Ceil Chapman, Valentina, and Clare Potter. On the other side of the gender divide, B.H. Wragge was revered for his use of beautiful, elegantly tailored fabrics, and Norman Norell was then making a name for himself under the Traina-Norell label.

Next week, the work of a new generation of homegrown talents will be placed in context of the longer thread of American fashion in the new Costume Institute exhibition, “In America: A Lexicon of Fashion.” With so much emphasis on born-in-the-USA fashion, it won’t be surprising to see some of the important designers of 75 years ago referenced in the spring 2022 collections. Familiarize yourself with some of them here.

“THIS is the new navy-blue, with a new life and light. The coat is high-handed, with a stiff, pushed-up collar, full brass; made without buttonholes so that it must be worn loose, free…but fitted close as a middy in front. Wear it with assurance, as Gene Tierney does…with a contradictory touch of honey leather. Forstmann fleece.” —VoguePhotographed by John Rawlings, Vogue, March 1, 1946

“Jamaica-colors cotton beach dress, its bare bra top a miracle of engineering. By Joset Walker.” — Vogue Photographed by Serge Balkin, Vogue, December 1, 1946

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