The museum was recently offered a hammered brass breast plate from the 1970s with the designer’s name ‘Jules Parker’ stamped onto the pig suede lining. It was an interesting piece, but the price was too steep.

Looking for some information about Jules Parker, I could find only a few references: He was a black designer working out of a studio in Soho; photos of his feathered swimwear from the Ebony Fashion Fair appear in the September 18, 1974 edition of Jet Magazine; and it seems he passed away sometime in the 1980s.  That is about all I can find regarding Jules Parker — any further info would be gratefully received!