2-833-130 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Culottes designed by Arthur McGee, also referred to as a split skirt, palazzo pant, or midi pants. The pants are a 4-panel design made from a multiweave brown and blue plaid wool fabric. The pant legs are very wide, forming a full half-circle when laid flat. The culottes have two (2) pockets, one at each hip, lined with a gray fabric. The culottes fasten with a brown metal zipper at center back and one (1) plastic tortoiseshell button fastener at the center waistband. The culottes are unlined, and are machine-sewn. In 1957, Arthur Lee McGee (1933-2019) was the first African American designer hired to run a design studio on Seventh Avenue in the Garment District in New York City.