May 7, 2015

Flappers: Yet One More Influence on Santa Fe-Style




There are many cultural and artistic contributions that make up "Santa Fe-Style." In addition to the obvious influences like Spanish and Native American, other influences came from the women who moved to Santa Fe in the early years, usually coming from back east with their husbands (There were pioneering exceptions of course like Georgia O'Keeffe and Mabel Dodge Luhan). Here are some beautiful examples of the flapper-style brought to New Mexico in the early twentieth century.



Yellow evening dress and shoes, ca. 1926

Eugenie Shonnard was born in Yonkers, New York.  She lived in Paris from 1911-1914 and in the 1920s where she studied sculpture under Rodin and likely purchased this elegant “flapper” dress.  In 1919 she met Edgar Lee Hewett, who encouraged her to come to Santa Fe to pursue her art.  She spent the summer of 1925 working on her sculpture in a studio at the Palace of the Governors and returned two years later to live permanently in Santa Fe.  She married civil engineer and entrepreneur Edward Ludlam in 1933.  

History Collection NMHM, DCA

Gift of Thomas B. Catron III, 2006.40.1, 10109/45



Peach evening dress, ca. 1926-1927

As soon as the ATSF railroad steamed into Las Vegas on July 4, 1879, a number of fortune seekers, including the Raynolds brothers, Jefferson, Frederick and Joshua, wasted no time in taking advantage of the boomtown.  They opened the First National Bank on the plaza in West Las Vegas and expanded their businesses in New Mexico and El Paso.  Joshua Raynolds built a three-story mansion overlooking Las Vegas in 1883.  Daughter Ruth married James McNary in the mansion in 1902.  She wore this “flapper” dress for social events. 

History Collection NMHM, DCA

Gift of Mrs. Peter S. Krebs, 1272/45

Photos courtesy of The Museum of New Mexico.

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