Eliza Lucas Pinckney’s one of a kind robe à la Française is on display at the Charleston Museum. The exhibit began on May 13 and will run until July 9 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, opening at noon on Sundays.
Pinckney’s dress is incredibly rare and was made in London with fine detailing. The dress was estimated to need over 10,000 silkworm cocoons to make it. It even has pocket inserts.
It’s remarkable to this day for the eighteenth-century silk to have upheld. This may be one of the last times to see the dress ever, as the gown is deteriorating.
The exhibit features various pieces from the Pinckney collection and a piece of an alternative dress of hers. If you find yourself in Washington, DC, the other gown is on display at the Smithsonian Museum.