Label
Inaugural Gown, 1985
Worn by Governor Madeleine M. Kunin (1933 - )
Burlington, VT
Velvet and chiffon fabric with crystal accents
Gift of Governor Madeleine M. Kunin, 2020.5.1a-c
When she was elected governor in November 1984, Kunin became the first woman in Vermont’s history to hold the state’s highest political office. On January 11, 1985, she was officially sworn in as governor, and that evening attended an inaugural ball in her honor. For the first time, it was the governor who wore a gown to dance at inauguration, not the first lady.
This gown was designed and handmade by Lucy Strelcyzk of Essex Junction, Vermont. She and Kunin worked together on the design, which is deliberately reminiscent of Kunin’s Swiss heritage, and the gown was custom-fit for the new governor. This gown is the only one of the three that was worn a second time: Kunin brought it to Washington, D.C., and wore it to a reception at the White House to meet President Ronald Reagan.