1950s in Vogue: The Jessica Daves Years with Author Rebecca C. Tuite

This online recording from the Couture Pattern Museum features author Rebecca C. Tuite on her book, 1950s in Vogue: The Jessica Daves Years, with a special appearance by Jessica Daves’ niece, who shared personal reflections on her aunt. Rebecca also shares never-told-before research on the private world behind Vogue and couture patterns during its most influential decade. The discussion examines Jessica Daves’ role as editor in chief and cultural leader. It explores how Vogue functioned as a form of cultural education in post war America, while discussing the tensions between the powerful women running multimillion dollar businesses and the era’s ideal of the nuclear family. Using patterns from the Couture Pattern Museum’s archive, this lecture places couture patterns back into its editorial context and shows how fashion, media, and cultural values were closely connected.