Ann Lowe- “Society’s Best Kept Secret” and a Pioneering African American Designer

You may not have heard of Ann Lowe, but you’ve probably seen one of her dresses in pictures or a history book.  Because she was African American her work was often overlooked by main stream fashion during her lifetime.  She lived during a time in American history when society was strictly segregated, even in parts of the country that didn’t have official segregation laws on the books.  This meant that Ann was often not given proper recognition for her work.  Nevertheless she persevered and went on to design some of the mid-20th century’s most beautiful and well-regarded gowns.

Early Life

Ann Lowe was born in Alabama in 1898 into a family which traced it’s ancestry back to a slave holding plantation owner and a slave woman.  Beginning her life in the deeply segregated “deep South” Lowe would’ve had the odds stacked against her.  But her talent as a dressmaker and her mother’s reputation as a premier dressmaker in Alabama gave Lowe the boost that would lead her to a career in fashion that would last decades and secure her place in the history books. Lowe learned her dressmaking skills from her mother and grandmother.  When Lowe was sixteen her mother died unexpectedly while in the middle of a commission for the First Lady of Alabama.  Lowe took up the project and completed it for her mother.  It was this job that would propel Lowe into the dressmaking business.

Early Career

In 1917 she moved to New York City to start taking fashion design classes.  Apparently the school did not know they had admitted a black student until she arrived.  They forced her to segregate by having to take her classes alone in a separate room.  As she worked on her skills her clientele was slowly building through word of mouth.  She became known in America’s elite society as a go to designer for debutante gowns.  Often times her debutante clients would later return to Lowe to have her design their wedding dresses.

Pinnacle

Lowe used couture techniques when fashioning her gowns.  These included “gathered tulle and canvas to hold out hems, lace seam bindings, hand sewn organza facings, and weights to promote proper hang.” (Elizabeth Wray- FIT Museum Curator) In 1953 Lowe’s expertise and talent received a huge boon when she was chosen to design the dresses for Jackie Kennedy and her entire wedding party.  Jackie’s wedding dress received critical acclaim, but sadly Lowe was not properly credited- she was referred to simply as “a colored designer” by the press.

John and Jackie Kennedy on their wedding day. Jackie’s wedding dress was designed by Ann Lowe. It is simply exquisite. It was made of ivory colored silk taffeta. The skirt featured interwoven bands and tiny wax flowers.

In 1964 Lowe was featured in an article in the Saturday Evening Post.  No longer “society’s best kept secret” she finally received some much deserved credit for her hard work and talent.  These days she is well known in the fashion world as a pioneering African-American female designer.  Examples of her work can be seen in The Museum at FIT, The Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, and  The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

For more reading about Ann Lowe check out this article about her from Ebony Magazine (December 1966).