Gray tuxedo jacket worn by Cab Calloway: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A gray tuxedo jacket designed by Bill Blass and worn by Cab Calloway. The jacket is solidly gray. It features satin faced lower lapels, a proper left breast pocket, two side pockets with flaps, a gray plastic buttons at the front middle of the proper right side, and a single gray button at the cuff of each sleeve. The underside of the collar is lined with wool. The proper left lapel features a small buttonhole for a boutonnière. The side pockets have flaps with satin edging just above the top of the flap, and at the top of the pocket. The back of the jacket features a small back vent. The interior lining of the jacket is a solid light gray acetate. At the interior back center of the collar is an embroidered black rectangular tag with white embroidered text inside that reads [BILL BLASS]. The designer’s name, [Bill Blass], is embroidered in light gray thread on the proper left interior over the breast.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1978-1994
• Designed by: Bill Blass, founded 1970
• Manufactured by: After Six, Inc., American, founded 1903
• Worn by: Cab Calloway, American, 1907 - 1994
• Type: blazers
• Type: tuxedoes
• Medium: silk (textile) on wool (textile) with metal and plastic
• Dimensions: H x W x D (flat): 32 13/16 × 25 3/16 × 1 in. (83.4 × 64 × 2.5 cm)
• Place made: United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Band (Music)
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Composers (Musicians)
• Topic: Conductors (Musicians)
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Dance
• Topic: Jazz (Music)
• Object number: A2015.273.1.30.1
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of Cabella Calloway Langsam
• 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.