18 Facts About Arthur McGee

Arthur Lee McGee was an American fashion designer.

Arthur Lee McGee was born on March 25,1933, in Detroit, Michigan.

Arthur McGee's mother Rose was a dressmaker, she created her own clothing designs and taught he to him about fashion early in his childhood.

Arthur McGee's mother liked hats, so as a child he was determined to learn to make hats so he could make her one.

Arthur McGee attended Traphagen School of Fashion in New York City because he had won a scholarship.

Arthur McGee graduated from Traphagen in 1951 in Costume Design.

Arthur McGee continued his studies in millinery and apparel design at Fashion Institute of Technology to refine his skills.

Arthur McGee dropped out of FIT in 1956 before graduating after he was told there were no jobs for black designers and the Dean suggested he start looking for jobs as a presser.

Arthur McGee spoke openly about being treated poorly in design offices in the early years and being assumed to not be the fashion designer, even when he was dressed in designer clothing, because he was black.

Arthur McGee opened up a small space in Greenwich Village and sold clothing to a few celebrities one weekend, and from then he had work from Broadway shows needing costumes.

Arthur McGee was the first African American to hold this job position at an established Seventh Avenue apparel company.

Arthur McGee was most active in design between the 1960s until the 1980s.

Arthur McGee's designs were sold at larger department stores, and in many cases these were the first time the stores carried any African American fashion designers work, including Saks Fifth Avenue, Bloomingdale's, Henri Bendel, and Bergdorf Goodman.

Arthur McGee designed musician Dexter Gordon's custom suit he wore to the 1987 Academy Awards when he was nominated for an Oscar for the film Round Midnight.

Arthur McGee died July 1,2019, at the age of 86, in a nursing home in New York City after a long battle with illness.

Arthur McGee had been a mentor to fashion designer, Willi Smith.

Arthur McGee's work is included in various public museum collections including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, National Museum of African American History and Culture, among others.

Arthur McGee's work was featured on the television show Antiques Roadshow.