Story by Megan Osborne

Longtime Avenir Museum supporter Sophia Aldrich recently donated a Chinese silk brocade jacket to the permanent collection. The jacket belonged to her mother Ai-Hwa Lucy Doe Lei 雷竇愛華 (1906-1977), for whom the Avenir Museum lobby is named, making this an exceptionally meaningful gift.

Description

The simple T-shape of the garment is beautifully shaped by two darts at the bust line, which create a fitted bodice that flows gracefully into a slightly flared hemline. The bracelet length sleeves and standing collar are typical features of women’s garments worn in Taiwan during the mid-twentieth century.

The light grey silk was brocade woven with red, green, and yellow fortune designs. The brocade fabric is edged with a delicate yellow piping and trimmed with a matching grey silk. The jacket is fully lined and finished with five delicately handmade grey and yellow silk frog closures.

Generous supporters

The Avenir Museum is very pleased to be able to add such a high quality garment to the permanent collection. The silk brocade jacket will help to further expand the holdings of Asian textiles, an area of the collection that has long been of interest to Aldrich and her husband, Ted, and one that they have generously supported for many years.  If you have additional interest in this recently donated apparel, please contact Avenir Museum Collections Manager Megan Osborne at megan.osborne@colostate.edu.

Photo: Lucy, pictured with her husband and daughter Sophie, is wearing the silk jacket draped over her shoulders in this photograph c. 1950.

The Avenir Museum is in the Department of Design and Merchandising, part of CSU’s College of Health and Human Sciences.