French maid's costume worn by Donna Summer: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

2023.84.1.1ab: A French maid stage costume with microphone pouch worn by Donna Summer.

2023.84.1.1a: A French maid stage costume worn by Donna Summer. The costume is constructed primarily with a black, glittery, synthetic fabric features a white, tulle apron and an A-line miniskirt with a white, tulle, mini petticoat. The sweetheart neckline is trimmed with white lace and the short, puffed sleeves are edged in white tulle cuffs. The white tulle apron covers the front of the bodice and drapes over the front of the skirt. It is edged in a single white ruffle and the fabric has woven thin strips. It is secured around the waist with a tie at the waist that has been stitched into place. Sewn to the center back of the collar is a white fabric tag with black embroidered text that reads [Design / Studio / NICK MANNO / LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA]. Inside the arm hole of the sleeve are two white elastic loops, both with silver metal safety pins attached. The back of the dress features a split down the center back of the miniskirt and has been filled with a wedge of five ruffle bands. At the center back of the neckline is a black zipper that runs down the length of the bodice and divides the tulle bow at the back, center waist. The white tulle petticoat lines the entire shirt and has a wide ruffle at the bottom which is slightly lower than the hemline of the skirt.

2023.84.1.1b: A microphone pouch attached to a French maid stage costume worn by Donna Summer. The pouch is constructed from the same glittery black fabric as the dress. It is rectangular in shape with a fold over flap at the front with a Velcro closure. The pouch is attached to the dress with a large, silver metal safety pin to the proper left side of the back bodice.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: ca. 1985
• Designed by: Nick Manno, American
• Worn by: Donna Summer, American, 1948 - 2012
• Type: costume
• Type: uniforms
• Medium: synthetic fiber with plastic and metal
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2023.85.1.1a): 40 1/4 × 46 5/8 × 4 1/2 in. (102.3 × 118.5 × 11.5 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (2023.85.1.1b): 5 1/2 × 5 1/16 × 13/16 in. (14 × 12.8 × 2.1 cm)
• Place made: Los Angeles, California, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Composers (Musicians)
• Topic: Disco (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2023.85.1.1ab
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• 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.