SMITHSONIAN
Burgundy Silk Satin Beaded Evening Coat
1960s · 1960s · African American
Designer
Ann Lowe
Production
haute couture
Material
silk satin
Culture
African American
Movement
Space Age
Influences
1960s minimalist silhouette · Art Deco beadwork patterns
A full-length evening coat in deep burgundy silk satin featuring an A-line silhouette that flows from shoulder to floor. The garment opens in front with elaborate gold and cream beaded trim forming geometric patterns along the center front opening, neckline, and three-quarter length sleeves. The beadwork creates intricate bands of decoration with repeating motifs that catch light against the rich satin surface. The coat's construction shows expert tailoring with clean lines and precise placement of ornamental elements. This piece exemplifies 1960s luxury eveningwear with its simplified silhouette enhanced by rich materials and sophisticated surface embellishment, representing the era's move toward streamlined elegance.
coatstraightcollarlessfloor length
Connected To
Worn with·evening gownTechnique·beadworkFunction·formal-evening
Echoes Across Time
Empire / Regency → 1960s · 160yr59%
SHARED
The pearl-encrusted Empire cap and the 1960s evening coat are separated by 160 years but united by the same impulse to transform beadwork into pure luxury. Where the Regency piece uses seed pearls to create an all-over honeycomb of shimmer—each tiny bead catching light like dewdrops on silk net—the mid-century coat deploys its beaded trim more strategically, framing the neckline and sleeves with precise borders that echo the geometric confidence of the era.
Worn with·evening gownTechnique·beadworkFunction·formal-evening
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