Francis Troy Stix collection, 1934-1948

Sketches of women's daywear from the 1930s and 1940s. The sketches are done predominantly in graphite, occasionally accented with colored pencil or watercolor. A few fully painted sketches can also be found. The pages are annotated by the designer with notes indicating color, fabric, and technical aspects of the individual pieces. Swatches of specific fabrics are also included on certain sketches, most likely serving as the initial inspiration for the particular piece. For example, a plaid fabric was used to inform the design of one suit. The consistent style of the sketches, maintained as the trends and silhouettes of the decade evolved, indicate a single designer, though possibly two as the fully painted sketches show a departure from the typical ʺmodelʺ of the pencil sketches. Evident from annotations identifying specific designers on some of the pages, the designer(s) drew significant inspiration from European houses such as Schiaparelli, Lanvin, and Balenciaga. Patents for the dress designs.