An Elegant Timeline
The Jane Morgan collection of gowns from her storied music and Hollywood career, finally arrived in New York City Friday night at New York Fashion Week at the 3 West Club, where a showroom of gowns that Jane Morgan wore at poignant moments of her showbiz career, were “In My Style” as the exhibit is titled, all displaying the detailed glamour and beauty from moments in time based on the style of the day, and organized greatly by LA Presse’s Bonnie Bien.
A collection such as Jane Morgan’s “In My Style” is best experienced from the very beginning to the present, Jane’s early years of singing began in grade school, acting and singing in local theater productions based out of her hometown of Kennebunkport, Maine at The Kennebunkport Playhouse, and also in high school where Jane competed against other students in singing, Jane then graduated high school where she went onto attend Juilliard School, intending to have an Opera singing career, this beautiful gown of black sequin and green detailing represent the starting point of what made Jane Morgan an American Songbird.
Shortly after Jane’s time studying at Juilliard, it was the 1930’s that Jane’s singing career began at a high note, with albums such as “The Big Hits”, “Serenades”, and a self-titled recording album, Jane’s best look from the 1930’s was a black velvet column gown and v-shaped back with front side vents designed by Don Loper of California, Jane’s choice of thin-strapped high heels were black with sequin by Escada, and the original fashion illustrator of Jane’s dress here was Frederico Wittop, who coined this illustration as “Lady In Black Dress”.
Heading into the 1960’s, Jane’s look is best remembered for this fabulous cream-colored gown with hearty detailing of pearls and beads that make diamond and circle designs with a pair of St. John’s silver high heels, it was in this era where Jane started performing in the finest venues in the United States, thanks to Jerry Weintraub, who Jane met to be her new manager after her previous agent died, Jane and Jerry also subsequently married in 1965.
Moving along to the late 1960’s, Jane went onto perform at the “Academy Awards” with her song “I Will Wait For You”, recording several dozen singles under one LP for ABC Records, appearing on her own special in 1968, and continuing to record hit music, one of Jane’s most memorable albums of this time was “Jane In Spain”, where Spanish embroidery in black when lace was first seen on fabrics is a great pioneer in this red gown that’s definitely Latin-inspired, black high heel sandals were also new to the style scene as lighter fabrics and satin was first used.
Though Jane Morgan retired from performing in 1973, Jane continued to be on the music scene, Hollywood scene, and even the political scene, where fast-forwarding to modern times in Jane’s life, performing at the UNICEF Ball, The Beverly Wilshire Hotel, getting her own star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame on May 6, 2011, and being seen in these sequin-dominated dresses while photographing with Actor, Warren Beatty, and President, George Bush, Senior.
Now’s your chance to experience the storied music and Hollywood career of Jane Morgan for yourself at 3 West Club at 3 W.51st Street in Manhattan across from Rockefeller Center, now until this coming Wednesday, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity put together by La Presse’s own, Bonnie Bein, who’s also a lifelong friend of Jane Morgan, going back to Jane’s early years.