Arthur McGee facts for kids

Arthur Lee McGee (born March 25, 1933 – died July 1, 2019) was a talented American fashion designer. He made history in 1957. He became the first African American designer to lead a design studio on Seventh Avenue in New York City's famous Garment District. This was a big step for fashion.

Early Life and Learning

Arthur Lee McGee was born on March 25, 1933, in Detroit, Michigan. His mother, Rose, was a dressmaker. She designed and made her own clothes. She taught Arthur about fashion from a young age.

He loved that his mother liked hats. As a child, he wanted to learn how to make hats. He hoped to make one for her someday.

Arthur won a scholarship to the Traphagen School of Fashion in New York City. He graduated in 1951 with a degree in Costume Design. He continued to study hatmaking and clothing design at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT). This helped him improve his skills even more.

While at school, he also learned from the famous fashion designer, Charles James. Arthur left FIT in 1956 before finishing his degree. He was told that there were no jobs for Black designers.

A Career in Fashion

Arthur McGee often talked about the challenges he faced early in his career. People sometimes assumed he was not the designer because he was Black. Even when he wore designer clothes, he was treated differently.

In his first jobs, he was allowed to create designs and make clothes. However, he could not use his own name on the designs. He decided to open a small shop in Greenwich Village. One weekend, he sold clothes to a few famous people. After that, he started getting work designing costumes for Broadway shows.

By 1957, at just 24 years old, Arthur was in charge of the design room for Bobby Brooks, Inc. This was a company that made women's clothing. He was the first African American to hold such a high position at a well-known Seventh Avenue clothing company.

McGee's designs were special. They blended African and Asian fashion styles. His clothes often had a loose, flowing shape. He also used fabrics from Africa.

In the 1960s, he opened his own design store. It was located on St. Mark’s Place in New York City. During the 1960s and 1970s, he also worked for College Town of Boston. This company made college-themed clothing for women.

Arthur McGee was most active in design from the 1960s to the 1980s. His clothes were sold in big department stores. These stores included Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale’s, Henri Bendel, and Bergdorf Goodman. For many of these stores, it was the first time they sold clothes by an African American fashion designer.

Some of his famous clients included Lena Horne, Sybil Burton, Cicely Tyson, and Stevie Wonder. He even designed a custom suit for musician Dexter Gordon. Gordon wore it to the 1987 Academy Awards when he was nominated for an Oscar.

His Legacy

Arthur McGee passed away on July 1, 2019, at the age of 86. He died in a nursing home in New York City after a long illness.

McGee was a mentor to many designers. He helped guide fashion designer Willi Smith. He also influenced many younger designers in the 1970s. These included Stephen Burrows, Scott Barrie, B. Michael, Jeffrey Banks, and James Daugherty.

His amazing work is now part of public museum collections. You can find his designs at places like the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

McGee's work was even shown on the television program Antiques Roadshow (Season 24 Episode 30).