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Ann Lowe designed one of the most iconic dresses of all time, even if her story is almost unknown. Lowe was involved in one of the biggest weddings of all time, designing the dress that Jacqueline Bouvier wore when she married John F. Kennedy Jr.
Lowe was a Black woman who formed an incredible career despite the many hurdles in her path. She worked on film sets and with families like the Rockefellers, the Roosevelts, and the du Ponts. While designing Jackie’s dress, a water pipe broke in her work room, ruining most of her work. She was forced to redo the work in 10 days.
Despite being responsible for a huge part of the Kennedy’s wedding and its success, her name wasn’t credited in the reportage of the story. John F. Kennedy’s father, Joseph Kennedy, was rumoredly in charge of most parts of the wedding and he wanted a different dress. His influence appears to have impacted the press, which never printed her name after covering the wedding.
Lowe’s work seems to be getting her due now. Over 40 of her dresses are now available for viewing at the Winterthur Museum, Garden & Library, in Delaware. It’s the largest exhibition of her work to date. Scroll down to have a look at some of the dresses available for viewing: