Vivian Chan Shaw has been an enduring figure in Australian fashion for over 30 years and has, in an industry renowned for it's trend driven volatility, an extraordinarily loyal local and international clientele. This dress was designed and made by Vivian Chan Shaw in 1973 and is a beautiful example of the distinctive appliqued jersey pieces she was creating in the early 1970s.

The dress is an early example of Chan Shaw's designs and reflects her philosophy of creating unique designs which surpass seasonal trends, fit and flatter a wide range of figure and age groups, are comfortable to wear and pack small and light for travel. These are attributes not usually associated with contemporary fashion whose prime focus is on production and marketing to a size and age range often limited to the young and slim and with an economic imperative to constantly reinvent and renew itself. Chan Shaw has provided an empowering and original, fashionable alternative for women, many of whom feel dispossessed by mainstream fashion.

Chan Shaw started her label with a range of hand made one-off jersey garments featuring hand rolled edges and elaborate appliqued designs. Even at this early stage her outfits were constructed for comfort and designed with drawstrings and wrap and tie closures providing flexibility of fit. They sold through her first retail outlet, Jeunesse, established in 1972 in the Royal Arcade, under the Sydney Hilton Hotel.

By the late 1970s Chan Shaw was including a few hand knitted garments in her production and was increasingly drawn to the potential of this medium. A knitting revival was underway in the 1970s and 1980s with craft practitioners and artists exploring and experimenting with various techniques and forms. Designers like Jenny Kee successfully melded art, craft and fashion in knitwear and this cross fertilisation of the medium was dubbed 'art clothes' or 'wearable art'. Chan Shaw also began to experiment with form, texture and colour in her knitwear, however she wanted to take the raw hand-crafted feel out of the medium, producing instead very refined hand-loomed knits with a high fashion feel.

In 1986 she opened her eponymous retail outlet in the Queen Victoria Building and concentrated exclusively on high quality knitwear, refining her distinctive signature of draped and layered, asymmetric forms and interchangeable pieces.

This is one of Vivian Chan Shaw's earliest designs for her first retail outlet 'Jeunesse' in the Royal Arcade under the Hilton Hotel in Sydney. Her early designs were hand made one-off jersey garments featuring hand rolled edges and elaborate applique designs. These often spectacular garments were constructed for comfort and designed with drawstrings and wrap and tie closures providing flexibility of fit. This garment was made in 1973.

This dress was purchased in 1973 by Alfonso Sorrentino as a birthday gift for his wife Maria Sorrentino on January 23. Alfonso not only thought it would be a perfect dress for Maria but it featured his favourite colours. Fortunately Maria loved his choice and kept the dress for three decades before it was acquired by the Powerhouse Museum as part of the Vivian Chan Shaw collection.


Vivian Chan Shaw
Vivian Chan Shaw is a self-taught designer. She designed and made her own clothes from a young age but originally trained as a musician, studying piano at the Conservatorium High School in Sydney and then Arts at Sydney University. In 1965, with an urgent need to support her four young children, Chan Shaw made her first move into the fashion industry, knitting clothing for David Jones baby boutique.

In 1966 she joined René Fabrics as a buyer of fabrics, trimmings and laces. Recognising her design skills they asked her to provide a fashion design service for customers, using the fabrics sold by the store. Chan Shaw then went to Canns, which at the time was Sydney's leading bridal wear department store. Here she worked as fashion co-ordinator, buyer and designer before moving into fashion retail, managing the very hip In Shoppe and Merivale boutiques. This valuable retailing experience gave her the confidence to start her own business.

Chan Shaw's first designs were hand made one-off jersey garments featuring hand rolled edges and elaborate appliqued designs. These often spectacular garments sold through her first retail outlet, Jeunesse established in 1972 in the Royal Arcade, under the Sydney Hilton Hotel; a position that ensured some of her first customers included international celebrities Dionne Warwick, Bo Derek and Margaux Hemingway. Even at this early stage her outfits were constructed for comfort and designed with drawstrings and wrap and tie closures providing flexibility of fit.

By the early 1970s Chan Shaw was also including a few hand knitted fashion garments in her production and was increasingly drawn to the potential of this medium. A knitting revival was underway in the 1970s and 1980s with craft practitioners and artists exploring and experimenting with various techniques and forms. Designers like Jenny Kee successfully melded art, craft and fashion in knitwear design and this cross fertilisation of the medium was dubbed 'art clothes'. Chan Shaw also began to experiment with knitwear and while her work fitted loosely within the art clothes aesthetic she stood outside it, preferring to take the raw hand-crafted feel out of the medium, producing instead very refined knits with a high fashion feel.

In 1986 Chan Shaw opened her eponymous retail outlet in the Queen Victoria Building in Sydney. By this time she was designing only knitwear and further developed her distinctive signature of draped and layered, assymetrical forms in collections of interchangeable pieces. The garments flexible fit also allowed Chan Shaw to develop a strong local and international mail order service.

Day dress with belt, women's, polyester jersey, worn by Maria Sorrentino in Sydney, designed and made by Vivian Chan Shaw, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 1973

Women's wrap around day dress in black jersey trimmed around neckline, front opening and hem with wide appliqued wave design in red. Sleeveless dress to mid calf length wraps over front of body to tie at side waist. Dress features fitted bodice with deep v neckline and full skirt. Black self fabric belt ties at side waist. The dress is machine sewn and unlined.

Designed: Chan Shaw, Vivian; Sydney; 1973


Used: Sorrentino, Maria; Sydney

Owned: 1973 - 2004

Beige fabric label inside proper left shoulder 'by/Vivian Chan-Shaw'.

2005/33/1

1973

390 mm