Aviator cap for The Wiz costume worn by André De Shields: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

Aviator cap from The Wiz costume ensemble worn by André De Shields in the original 1975 Broadway production. The cream headpiece has goggles and rhinestone decorations. The crown of the headpiece is constructed of panels of cream twill synthetic fiber that form a skullcap. Three rows of silver rhinestones are sewn along the proper left, center, and proper right seam lines extending all the way from the front of the skullcap to the back. The goggles are constructed of cream satin weave synthetic fiber that covers a stiff shaping material. Thirty dark green flat rhinestones are sewn around the eye openings. The headpiece is fastened in place with a chin strap, made of the same cream twill synthetic fiber as the skullcap, which closes with Velcro™ at the proper left side near the wearer's chin. The interior of the cap is made from a single piece of cotton batting, with the cream exterior fabric hand sewn around the interior edge of the crown to attach the batting. Some of the green rhinstones have leeched color onto the goggles. A red felt tab is stitched inside at the center of the goggles.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1975
• Worn by: André De Shields, American, born 1946
• Designed by: Geoffrey Holder, Trinidadian American, 1930 - 2014
• Type: helmets
• Medium: polyester and satin with felt, rhinestone, metal Velcro™
• Dimensions: H x W (flat): 9 × 11 in. (22.9 × 27.9 cm)
• Place used: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Actors
• Topic: Broadway Theatre
• Topic: Clothing and dress
• Topic: Costume
• Topic: Costume design
• Topic: Design
• Topic: Entertainers
• Object number: 2018.1.3.5
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of André De Shields
• 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: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.