Explore Black History

1979-1980

Beaded jacket (.1) and black pants (.2) by Stephen Burrows.
The jacket (.1) is collarless with decorative lapels, full-length straight sleeves, and a hemline at the natural waist with a short slit at the center back. It is covered all over in glass bugle and seed beads, except on the undersides of the sleeves which are faced in black chiffon. The beaded design consists of oversized green grass blades running around the bottom of the jacket body and the bottom sleeves. A ground of silver and very pale pink swirling beads is above the grass on the sleeves and body. Six (6) abstract female figures in black beading stand in profile in the grass up to their waists, each with a large golden rhinestone at her posterior, a cluster of red seed beads at her breast, and a small cluster of blue seed beads to make her eye. Each woman wears a large crown of differing style depending on placement on the jacket. The women at each front side wear copper and silver striped crowns that extend up to the tops of the shoulders of the jacket. The women on each sleeve have gold and copper striped crowns that extend up to the shoulder seams of the sleeves. The two women on the back body wear smaller crowns that consist of gold oval shapes on a copper ground. The women on the front sides and on the back body are oriented so that they face each other. The decorative lapels have a design of stylized gold stems with long rounded leaves on a red ground. Two (2) black hook-and-eyes are sewn just below the lapels to close the jacket at the center front. The interior of the jacket is fully lined in black crepe, including underneath the black chiffon portions of the sleeves. A white fabric label with red embroidered text reading "stephen / burrows" is sewn at the interior center back neck that doubles as a hanger loop.
The pants (.2) are made from black crepe with a black satin tuxedo stripe running down the outer side of each of the flared legs. They close at the proper left side waist with a zipper and one (1) hook-and-eye. The pants do not have a waistband. A pocket with a black satin welt is sewn at each front side waist. The pants are not lined and there are no labels.

National Museum of African American History and Culture Collection

Ebony Fashion Fair Collection

Clothing - Fashion and Historical

Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture

National Museum of African American History and Culture

2015.141.38.1-.2

jackets
trousers

No known copyright restrictions
Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.

.1: glass beads, rhinestones, chiffon, and crepe with metal fasteners;
.2: crepe and satin with metal and plastic fasteners

H x W (.1 flat): 23 1/2 × 19 in. (59.7 × 48.3 cm)
H x W (.2 flat): 46 × 22 in. (116.8 × 55.9 cm)

Object Name • Beaded jacket and black pants by Stephen Burrows

nmaahc_2015.141.38.1-.2

NMAAHC

BEADED JACKET AND BLACK PANTS BY STEPHEN BURROWS

National Museum of African American History and Culture

CC0

1980s • 1970s

Johnson Publishing Company • Ebony Fashion Fair • Burrows, Stephen

Design • Clothing and dress • Fashion

jackets • Trousers

No Known Copyright Restrictions