Cream duster coat designed by Manuel Cuevas and worn by George Clinton: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

This cream duster coat was designed by Manuel Cuevas for George Clinton, who wore it to the Broadcast Music, Inc. Awards in 2009. The ankle-length coat is made from a twill wool fabric and is single-breasted with full-length sleeves and a notched lapel. It closes at the center front waist with one (1) cream round plastic button. On the outer side of each sleeve near the wrist are two (2) decorative cream plastic buttons. There are two (2) diagonally set western arrowhead pockets, one at each front side waist. Appliqued scroll designs made from silver lame decorated with silver rhinestones are sewn to the coat using heavy stitching in silver metallic thread on the front and back chest, front skirt, and sleeves, with the designs mirroring each other. The appliques on the skirt reach around to the back side. There is a slit in the skirt at the center back reaching approximately twenty-four (24) inches above the hem. The coat is fully lined with a cream synthetic damask that has small figures of a golfer in a backswing woven intermittently throughout. Shoulder pads are sewn between the facing and the lining. There are two (2) interior horizontally set welted pockets, one at each front side breast. A black fabric label with gold stitching is sewn at the interior proper left front waist below the pocket opening that reads "DESIGNED FOR / George / Clinton / manuel".

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 2009
• Designed by: Manuel, Mexican American, born 1933
• Worn by: George Clinton, American, born 1941
• Type: dusters
• Medium: wool twill, synthetic fiber, lamé, metallic foil thread, rhinestones, and plastic buttons
• Dimensions: L x W: 59 1/2 x 21 in. (151.1 x 53.3 cm)
• Place used: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Costume design
• Topic: Design
• Topic: Funk (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2011.83.4
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Love to the planet
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: No Known Copyright Restrictions Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.