Fashion Icon Mary McFadden Comes to Cleveland for Ursuline College Oct. 16th Lecture and Fashion Show/Luncheon Benefit
On Oct. 16th Clevelanders will have a rare chance to meet international fashion icon Mary McFadden, hear firsthand about her experiences as a designer, artist, art collector and world traveler and view never before seen signature clothing from her private collection. McFadden will be the featured guest at Ursuline College's 11am lecture and 1pm fashion show luncheon, Symbols, Goddesses, Textiles of the Ancient World, held at Executive Caterers at Landerhaven, 6111 Landerhaven Drive, Mayfield Heights.
Click here to view the event invitation. PDF
"It's been nearly two decades since the High Priestess of Fashion has visited Cleveland and we're thrilled to feature her at Ursuline's fall scholarship benefit," said Fashion Department Chair Connie Korosec, Ph.D. Korosec commented that the fashion show will include gowns from McFadden's private collection, Ursuline's Historic Costume Study Collection and donors throughout the United States. Additionally, attendees will have an opportunity to shop at 20 fashion boutiques from 11:00 AM-3:00 PM.
"Mary's fashion design career spanned more than 30 years with a heyday that began in the 70's when her designs, simple tunics made of African prints and Oriental silks, worn over silk Chinese pants, first graced the pages of Vogue magazine," said Korosec. "Mary became an immediate sensation among women who were ready for more exciting, inspiring and artistic styles. Dubbed by many as a design archaeologist, she took what she learned in exotic lands and turned it into artistically constructed clothes with intricate beading and other embroidered embellishment. It was her signature Marii pleating, inspired by vintage Fortuny Delphos gowns and ancient Greek and Egyptian draping, that appealed to the jet-setting crowd."
According to a recent conversation with McFadden, the designer closed her New York factory and showroom a few years ago and has been working as a costume designer. She is also lecturing and singing Gershwin and Porter in a cabaret act in New York and overseas. She has recently returned from India, where she's been working on a movie about Rumi, the 13th-century poet and theologian.
McFadden was born in New York in 1938 and grew up on a cotton plantation in Tennessee. She attended Columbia University where she majored in sociology and anthropology and she studied at the Sorbonne in Paris. She worked as a publicist for Christian Dior in New York City and was the merchandising editor for South African Vogue in the 1960's.
Her first fashion collection debuted in New York in 1973 and later her collections were seen in Milan, Paris, Rome, Tokyo and India, to name a few. She won fashion's Coty Award in 1976 and entered the Coty Hall of Fame in 1979. She also served as president of the Council of Fashion Designers of America. In addition to clothing, McFadden designed textiles, jewelry and interior décor.
"This is an important event for anyone with an interest in fashion," commented Korosec who added that this just might be the chance of a lifetime to meet one of America's most esteemed fashion legends. Korosec said that McFadden fans can also view her gowns Oct. 15-Nov 5 at Mary McFadden Exhibit Part II, a free and open to the public show held at the College's Florence O'Donnell Wasmer Gallery. Gallery hours are Tuesday - Friday 12:00-5:00 PM and Saturday and Sunday 1:30-4:30 PM.
For ticket information, call 440-646-8375 or email kmayle@ursuline.edu Tickets for the morning lecture are $100. Fashion show/luncheon tickets cost $250 per person or $2,500 for a table of eight and include the morning lecture. Limited $5,000 tickets for two are available for attendees who wish to be seated with Mary McFadden. There will also be a raffle basket filled with items donated by the participating boutiques at the event. The cost will be 6 tickets for $25 or 1 ticket $5. All proceeds benefit Ursuline College.
October Exhibition Postcard PDF
