urn:taro:smu.00017 Alvin Colt design drawings, photographs, and other materials for Neiman Marcus Fortnights A Guide to the Collection Finding aid prepared by Anne E. Peterson, 2006-2007 DeGolyer Library
P. O. Box 750396 Southern Methodist University Dallas, TX 75275-0396
Finding aid encoded by Lara Corazalla 2006 Finding aid written inEnglish. Description based on DACS Overview DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University Colt, Alvin Alvin Colt design drawings, photographs, and other materials for Neiman Marcus Fortnights 1958-2001 703 drawings, 33 prints (posters), 1,306 photographic prints, about 150 letters and postcards. Alvin Colt began work in theater costume design in New York in the late 1930s. He worked as a costume and set designer on more than 80 Broadway shows, in television and in movies. From 1963 to 1986, he designed the annual Neiman Marcus store Fortnight celebrations in Dallas, Texas. Each Fortnight had a different country theme. The Colt Fortnight collection includes original working drawings, sketches, designer elevations, blueprints, posters and photographic prints, correspondence from Stanley Marcus to Alvin Colt, and clippings relating to the Neiman Marcus department store's annual Fortnight event. Designs and many drawings are by Alvin Colt. Some renderings were drawn by Robert Eickmeyer and John Duncan. Ag1993.0951 and Ag1993.0951x Material is in English Biographical Note

Alvin Colt was born in Louisville, Kentucky on July 5, 1915. Foreshadowing his future career interest, as a child he built a theater in the attic of his family home. He attended Yale’s department of drama (1934-37) and was the youngest member of his class. He worked in summer theater and moved to New York City. Colt began designing for what became the New York City Ballet. His Broadway debut was with On the Town in 1944. Colt designed costumes for the hit Guys & Dolls in 1950, and in 1957 received a Tony award for Costume Design for Pipe Dream. During his career, Colt designed costumes for more than 80 Broadway shows, television and movies.

From 1963 to 1986, Colt designed the installations for the annual Fortnight extravaganzas at the downtown Neiman Marcus store in Dallas, Texas. The Fortnights were an annual celebration of different countries' culture and design. They were splashy cultural, social, historical, fine art, culinary and fashion celebrations that greatly broadened the horizons of north Texans at the time. They were attended by dignitaries such as the ambassadors from Denmark and Thailand, the Queen of Thailand, Prince Ranier and Grace Kelly, movie star Sophia Loren, and artist Francoise Gilot to name a few. The planning and construction of these events required traveling thousands of miles in two years and took hundreds of people to produce. The Fortnights events were a brilliant blending of commercial, theatrical, and cultural elements. Also included are photographs and correspondence related to Stanley Marcus’s 90th birthday celebration in 1995, in which Colt was involved.

Sources:

Fashion Fortnights. Women’s Wear Daily, Oct. 22, 1969.

It’s like all acts of Ringling Brothers Circus. Dallas Downtown News, June 12, 1978.

Neiman Marcus friends and family share stories as the legendary store turns 90. Alvin Colt, theatrical designer. Dallas Morning News, Sept. 17, 1997, p. 6 E.

Two for the Fortnight Show. Neiman’s annual bash is a year-long project for these designers. Dallas Morning News, Oct. 16, 1983.

 Scope and Contents of the Collection

The Colt collection consists of matted elevations, working drawings, blueprints, photostats, photographs, clippings and correspondence relating to Colt’s designs for the Neiman Marcus Fortnights, 1963-1986. The collection illustrates the broad variety of designs created to transform the store with a theme usually related to an individual country. There are 703 drawings and blueprints, 32 posters, and 977 photographic prints which are arranged by year and Fortnight.

Also included is correspondence from Stanley Marcus, Neiman Marcus President and later Chairman Emeritus, mostly relating to the 25 Neiman’s Fortnights and their creation. There are also clippings from newspapers and magazines about the Fortnights and Colt. There are approximately 150 letters and postcards.

 Arrangement of the Collection

The collection is organized into 3 series:

Series 1: Matted Elevations, Working Drawings, Blueprints, Photostats, and Posters, 1963-1986 Series 2: Photographs, 1958-1995 Series 3: Correspondence, Clippings, Audio and Videotape, 1963-2001 Access to Collection:

Collection is open for research use.

 Publication Rights:

Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the Director of the DeGolyer Library.

 Copyright Statement:

It is the responsibility of the user to obtain copyright authorization.

 Access Terms

This collection is indexed under the following terms in the Southern Methodist University Libraries' online catalog. Researchers desiring related materials may search the catalog using these terms.

Colt, Alvin. Marcus, Stanley, 1905- Neiman-Marcus. Costume designers --United States. Set designers --United States. Eickmeyer, Robert. Duncan, John, artist. Preferred Citation

Alvin Colt design drawings, photographs, and other materials for Neiman Marcus Fortnights, DeGolyer Library, Southern Methodist University.

 Acquisition Information

Gift, Alvin Colt, 1992, 2002.

 Processing Information

The Colt Neiman Marcus Fortnight designs were not arranged in a chronological order nor were they all grouped together by Fortnight. Anne E. Peterson, Curator, arranged them by year and type of process. During processing, the large-scale drawings were transferred to acid-free folders and mylar sleeves. The photographs and correspondence have also been arranged in chronological order and moved to acid-free storage sleeves, folders and boxes.

Anne E. Peterson processed this collection and wrote the finding aid.

 Encoded by

Lara Corazalla, 2007.

 Detailed Description of the Collection Series 1: Matted Elevations, Working Drawings, Blueprints, Photostats, and Posters, 1963-1986 28 oversize folders

This series includes 703 drawings, blueprints and photostats. There are also 32 posters. These materials are organized by subject and arranged chronologically. They are stored in oversize folders. See the end of this finding aid for an Alphabetized Listing of the Fortnights by Country or Subject.

 1,21963 Switzerland – 6 working drawings: 6 total 31964 Denmark – 3 matted elevations; 1 poster: 4 total 41965 Austria – 3 matted elevations, numbers 6, 7, 8; 6 working drawings, 4 blueprints; 1 poster: 14 total 51966 Paris by Night, France – 5 matted elevations, 7 photostats: 12 total Gypsy Carnival – 1 poster: 1 total 61967 British – 2 matted elevations; 12 working drawings; 2 photostats; 1 poster: 17 total 71968 Italy – 7 matted elevations; 9 working drawings; 5 photostats: 21 total 81969 East Meets West [India, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Burma] – 9 matted elevations: 9 total 9,101970 Ruritania – 2 matted elevations; 5 working drawings; 7 photostats; 17 blueprints; 6 posters; 2 placemat: 39 total 111971 Fete des Fleurs: An Exposition of Flowers and Fashion – 1 matted elevation; 1 working drawing; 2 blueprints; 3 posters: 7 total 121972 France – 3 working drawings; 14 blueprints; 2 photostats; 1 poster: 20 total 131973 British – 7 matted elevations; 7 working drawings; 16 blueprints; 3 photostats: 22 total 141974 Japan – 7 matted elevations; 18 working drawings; 14 photostats: 39 total 151975 Italy – 5 matted elevations; 1 working drawing; 16 blueprints; 3 photostats; 3 posters: 28 total 161976 Ireland – 30 working drawings; 17 blueprints: 47 total 171977 France – 46 working drawings; 3 posters: 49 total 181978 Brazil – 26 working drawings; 15 blueprints; 1 poster: 42 total 191979 British – 2 matted elevations; 1 blueprint with wallpaper sample; 13 blueprints; 2 photostats; 1 poster; 3 smaller posters: 22 total 201980 Los Dias de Espana [Spain] – 47 blueprints; 2 working drawings; 4 posters: 53 total 211981 Orientations – 10 blueprints; 1 poster, 1 Xerox copy: 12 total 221982 Odyssey: Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy – 1 matted elevation; 25 blueprints: 26 total 231982 Neiman Marcus Archives Exhibit presentation drawings for 75th Anniversary; 9 photostats: 19 total 241983 Germany – 39 blueprints; 1 poster: 40 total 251984 Britain Then and Now – 2 matted elevations; 15 working drawings; 40 blueprints: 57 total Vienna at the Galleria in Houston – 1 poster: 1 total 261985 France-by-the-Sea – 2 matted elevations; 25 blueprints; 2 photostats: 29 total 27, 281986 Australia – 2 matted elevations, numbers 58, 59; 30 working drawings; 30 blueprints: 62 total 291995 Stanley Marcus 90th Birthday Celebration - 9 blueprints: 9 total Series 2: Photographs, 1958-1995 4 boxes

This series contains photographs of the various Fortnights from 1957 to 1986 showing the elaborate installations. They are arranged chronologically in folders.

 111957 French - 2 photographs 121958 British [not designed by Colt] – 3 photographs 131959 South America - replica of the fortnight poster 141962 Far East - 1 photograph, 10 photostats 15-71963 Switzerland – 79 photographs, 5 photostats 18-91964 Denmark – 103 photographs 1101964 After the Fire – 9 photographs 111-121965 Austria – 68 photographs 211966 Gypsy Carnival, Spring – 45 photographs; 1 magazine cutout 22-31966 France – 33 photographs 241967 Montreal Expo Study – 92 photographs; 7 postcards 25-61967 British – 107 photographs 27-81968 Italy – 96 photographs 291968 Christmas – 28 photographs 311969 East Meets West [India, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Burma] – 44 photographs 321970 Ruritania – 48 photographs 331971 Fete des Fleurs: An Exposition of Flowers and Fashion – 10 photographs 341972 France – 10 photographs 351973 British – 22 photographs 361974 Japan – 30 photographs 371975 Italy – 11 photographs 381976 Ireland – 2 photographs 391977 France – 11 photographs 411978 Brazil – 22 photographs 421978 Brazil – 22 slides, 2 negatives 431979 British – 19 photographs 441980 Los Dias de Espana [Spain] – 14 photographs 451981 Orientations – 21 photographs 461982 Odyssey: Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy – 21 photographs 471983 Germany – 30 photographs 481984 Britain Then and Now – 43 photographs 491985 France-by-the-Sea – 48 photographs 4101986 Australia – 21 photographs 4111995 Stanley Marcus 90th Birthday Celebration – 31 photographs Series 3: Correspondence, Clippings, Audio and Videotape, 1963-2001 4 boxes

This series contains correspondence from Stanley Marcus, at one time Neiman Marcus President and Chairman Emeritus, to designer Alvin Colt, 1963 to 2001. Total correspondence: approximately 150 letters and postcards; miscellaneous clippings related to Fortnights. A photograph of Alvin Colt, circa 1970, is in Box 5, Folder 2. Collection includes one audiotape and one videotape.

 511962 Far Eastern Fortnight pamphlets 521963 Correspondence, Swiss documents and clippings 531964 Correspondence 541964 Denmark documents, clippings and booklets 551965 Correspondence 561965 Austria documents, clippings and booklets 571967 Correspondence 581968 Correspondence 591968 British clippings 5101969 Correspondence 5111969 East Meets West documents, clippings and booklets 5121969 East Meets West booklet 5131970 Correspondence 5141970 Ruritania documents, clippings and booklets 5151970 Ruritania catalogue 5161971 Clippings 5171972 Correspondence 5181973 Correspondence 5191973 British documents and clippings 5201974 Correspondence 5211974 Japan documents 5221975 Italian documents and booklets 5231975 Italian catalogue 5241976 Correspondence 5251976 Irish documents and booklet 5261976 Magazine "Stores" 6271977 French documents and booklets 6281977 French catalogue 6291978 Brazil documents, clippings and booklets 6301978 Brazil research photographs and negatives 6311978 Brazil catalogue 6321979 Correspondence 6331979 British documents and booklets 6341980 Correspondence 6351980 Spain documents, clippings and booklets 6361980 Spain catalogue 6371981 Orientations documents and booklets 6381981 Orientation catalogue 6391981 Archive gallery documents 6401982 Odyssey documents and booklets 6411982 75th Anniversary documents and clippings 6421983 Germany documents, clippings and booklets 6431984 Britain Then and Now documents, clippings and booklets 6441985 France by the Sea documents and booklets 7451986 Australian documents, booklets and miscellaneous 7461987 Correspondence 7471988 Correspondence 7481989 Correspondence 7491989 French documents and clipping 7501990 Correspondence 7511991 Correspondence 7521992 Correspondence 7531993 Correspondence 7541994 Correspondence 7551994-1995 Correspondence 7561994-1997 90th Birthday party documents, clippings, booklets and invitation 7571995 Correspondence 7581996 Correspondence 7591997 Correspondence 7601998 Correspondence 7611999 Correspondence 7622000 Correspondence 7632000 Advertising Hall of fame luncheon catalogue 7642001 Correspondence 765N-M small cards 766Dallas newspaper write-ups 767Fortnight clippings 768Photograph of Stanley Marcus 769Churchill exhibit documents 81995 Stanley Marcus audiotape 81983 Stanley Marcus videotape Alphabetized Listing of the Fortnights by Country or Subject

In addition, here is an Alphabetized Listing of the Fortnights by Country or Subject (as found in Series 1):

 Australia, 1986 – 2 matted elevations, numbers 58, 59; 30 working drawings; 30 blueprints: 62 total Austria, 1965 – 3 matted elevations, numbers 6, 7, 8; 6 working drawings, 4 blueprints; 1 poster: 14 total Brazil, 1978 – 26 working drawings; 15 blueprints; 1 poster: 42 total Britain Then and Now, 2 matted elevations, numbers 54, 55; 15 working drawings; 40 blueprints: 57 total British, 1967 – 2 matted elevations, numbers 63, 64; 12 working drawing; 2 photostats; 1 poster: 17 total British, 1973 – 6 matted elevations, numbers 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 38; 14 working drawings; 7 blueprints: 27 total British, 1979 – 2 matted elevations, numbers 51, 52; 1 blueprint with wallpaper sample; 13 blueprints; 2 photostats; 1 poster; 3 smaller posters: 22 total Denmark, 1964 – 3 matted elevations, numbers 5, 61, 62; 1 poster: 4 total East Meets West [India, Japan, Thailand, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Burma], 1969 – 9 matted elevations, numbers 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 27, 28, 29: 9 total Fete des Fleurs: An Exposition of Flowers and Fashion, 1971 – 1 matted elevation, number 31; 1 working drawing; 2 blueprints; 3 posters: 7 total France, 1966 – 5 matted elevations, numbers 9, 10, 11, 12, 13; 7 photostats: 12 total France, 1972 – 1 working drawing; 14 blueprints; 2 photostats; 1 poster: 21 total France, 1977 – 46 working drawings; 3 posters: 49 total France-by-the-Sea, 1985 – 2 matted elevations, numbers 56, 57; 25 blueprints; 2 photostats: 29 total Germany, 1983 – 39 blueprints; 1 poster: 40 total Gypsy Carnival, 1966 – 1 poster: total 1 Ireland, 1976 – 30 working drawings; 17 blueprints: 47 total Italy, 1968 – 7 matted elevations, numbers 14, 16, 17, 18a, 18b, 19, 60; 9 working drawings; 5 photostats: 21 total Italy, 1975 – 5 matted elevations, numbers 46, 47, 48, 49; 1 working drawing; 16 blueprints; 3 photostats; 3 posters: 28 total Japan, 1974 – 8 matted elevations, numbers 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 66; 15 working drawings; 14 photostats: 36 total Los Dias de Espana [Spain], 1980 – 47 blueprints; 2 working drawings; 4 posters: 53 total Neiman Marcus Archives Exhibit presentation drawings for 75th Anniversary, 1982; 9 photostats: 19 total Stanley Marcus 90th Birthday Celebration – 9 blueprints: 9 total Odyssey: Greece, Yugoslavia, Italy, 1982 – 1 matted elevation, number 53; 25 blueprints: 26 total Orientations, 1981 – 10 blueprints; 1 poster; 1 xerox copy: 12 total Ruritania, 1970 – 2 matted elevations, numbers 30, 65; 5 working drawings; 17 blueprints; 7 photostats; 6 posters; 2 placemats: 39 total Switzerland, 1963 – 4 matted elevations, numbers 1, 2, 3, 4; two working drawings: 6 total Vienna at the Galleria in Houston, 1984 – 1 poster: 1 total