412 results for: Retail and Department Stores
Black straw hat made by Izzie Lewis, ca. 1996
Izzie Lewis, a trained architect, transitioned to millinery in 1988, and is known locally for her finely designed and crafted hats. The architectural influence and use of varied textiles can be seen in the innovative, detailed, and precise construction of her hats.
ID Number:2017.69.9
Date:Circa 1996
Green and brown straw hat, made by Izzie Lewis, ca. 1990s
Izzie Lewis, a trained architect, transitioned to millinery in 1988, and is known locally for her finely designed and crafted hats. Milliners are often very resourceful artists, using unexpected materials in creative ways. This hat uses a plastic flowerpot as a base. It is covered in straw braid which Lewis found as deadstock from the 1960s. While some of her…
ID Number:2017.69.10
Date:Circa 1990
Cash register credit card sign plate from Pay 'n Save, ca. 1975
Pay 'n Save was a retail company founded in Seattle in 1940. It was a successful drugstore chain and, throughout it's nearly 50-year run, owned or operated several other retailers such as Lamonts, Ernst Hardware, Malmo Nursery, Bi-Mart, Sportswest, Schuck's Auto Supply, Yard Birds, Von Tobel's, and Price Savers. Ernst Home Centers was a chain of home improvement stores founded…
ID Number:2018.26.2
Date:Circa 1975
Gold silk gown and coat designed by Howard Blair, 1959
Local designer, Howard Blair, made garments for those who wanted to stand out. He created wedding gowns, evening attire, and pageant queen dresses. To ensure this ensemble grabbed attention (besides the strategically placed tassels), Blair attached small bells under the skirt. This ensemble, created for an event that promoted trade with Japan, used over fifty yards of silk from Kobe,…
ID Number:2018.40.1
Date:1959
Sequin Dress made by Howard Blair, 1950s
This sequined mermaid-style evening gown was created by Seattle designer Howard Blair. Blair started designing in high school when he made theater costume and prom dresses for friends. Working out of his family home, he became a sought-after designer for local and national pageant dresses, wedding gowns, and evening attire. In 1958, just eight years into his career, he was…
ID Number:2018.40.2
Date:1950
Floral taffeta dress, "Monet," ca. 1964
This gown was created by Seattle designer Howard Blair and referred to as the “Monet Dress.” The main textile is a fabric known as chiné, where the vertical (warp) threads of the fabric are printed before weaving. In the weaving process the print is stretched to create a watercolor-like effect. Blair worked out of his family home and was a…
ID Number:2018.40.4
Date:Circa 1964
Green gown with matching stole and hat, made by Howard Blair, 1970s
This green ensemble was created by Seattle designer Howard Blair for a client to wear at a wedding in the 1970s. Blair worked out of his family home and was a sought-after designer for wedding gowns, evening attire, and local and national pageant dresses. In 1958, just eight years into his career, he was reported to already have made 600…
ID Number:2018.40.5
Date:1970
ROFFE one-piece ski suit, 1980s
Brightly colored one-piece ski suits were a hot style in the 1980s. This one has snaps that are color-matched and thoughtfully placed to not interrupt the lines where colors intersect. Each snap has an R for Roffe.Sam Roffe founded the company in Seattle in 1953, after spending 22 years as a cutter at Seattle Woolen. Roffe himself was never a…
ID Number:2018.45.1
Date:Circa 1980
Frederick & Nelson price gun, 1977
Frederick & Nelson, founded by Donald E. Frederick (1860-1937) and Nels B. Nelson (1854-1907) in 1891, was for many years Seattle's premier department store. They began by selling used furniture during the rebuilding of Seattle after the Great Fire of 1889, and expanded to include home delivery of goods, a tea room, and ready-to-wear men's and women's fashions. In 1992,…
ID Number:2018.51.1
Date:1977
Workman Utilikilt, ca. 2006
Utilikilts, founded in Seattle in 2000, are all about defiance—against cultural norms and mainstream menswear. Founder Steven “Krash” Villegas took the kilt—usually made of wool plaid—and fashioned it out of cotton canvas, which is used for durable, protective workwear. The result is a functional alternative to men’s pants that allows uninhibited movement. In Seattle, people wear Utilikilts everywhere from job…
ID Number:2018.60.1
Date:Circa 2006