The Royals of Pasadena: Rose Queen® and Royal Court exhibit features eight gowns by world renowned wedding dress designer, William Cahill (1918 – 2005). William Cahill is remembered as a top wedding gown designer in the field, his pieces recalling themes of beauty, poise, and elegance. Before his career as a dress designer, Cahill started out designing and engineering World War II bomber aircrafts at the Lockheed Vega Factory located in Burbank, California while his brother John (known as Jack) served in the military. After the war, the brothers discovered a new business opportunity in the marriage boom that was expected to occur as returning World War II veterans married their hometown sweethearts. In pursuit of economic opportunity, Cahill transferred his artistic talent to a new medium of wedding dress designing while Jack managed the finances.
Operating out of a storefront in West Los Angeles, Cahill of Beverly Hills soon became the mid-century gold standard for bridal couture from the 1940s to the 1970s, invoking Hollywood glamour and romance. Cahill’s gowns graced the covers of popular bridal magazines and were featured in the wedding announcements of fashionable Los Angeles couples. His designs were even worn by actress Katharine Ross in the award-winning 1967 film, The Graduate. Cahill of Beverly Hills enjoyed a reputation for attention to detail, timeless grace, and exceptional craftsmanship. Using only the finest fabrics and materials, Cahill gowns were worth the pretty penny it took to buy them. Cahill’s designs were avant garde and fashion-forward, featuring innovative hues such as blush pink and baby blue as well as ankle-length ballerina gowns possibly inspired by Edgar Degas’ artwork.
1956 Rose Queen Joan Culver on the Queen’s Float, wearing her Cahill-designed gown. (Pasadena Star-News Collection)
The Pasadena Tournament of Roses® first commissioned William Cahill to design the 1953 Rose Queen and Princess gowns. Queen Leah Feland Cullen’s 1953 gown can be viewed in the Royals of Pasadena: Rose Queen® and Royal Court exhibit. The intricate beadwork on the gown’s bodice and skirt shimmers in the light and embodies 1950s style and refinement. Another one of Cahill’s gorgeous creations is Dawn Baker Stephenson’s 1965 Rose Queen gown. This ivory dress is covered in hand-embroidered pearls and features a vintage-inspired mid-nineteenth century bustle. The last Cahill gowns used in the Rose Parade were the 1971 Queen and Princess gowns. On display in the exhibit, Cindy Jones’ 1971 Princess gown has a beaded bodice with a flowing silk chiffon skirt. The shades of yellow, green, and chartreuse give this dress a lively and youthful spirit perfect for the young ladies of the 1971 Royal Court. Cahill also designed Barbara Schmidt Gleason’s 1954 ivory beaded Queen gown, Joan Culver Warren’s 1956 ivory Queen gown, Marion Wiberg Wilks’ 1962 magenta velvet Princess gown, Karen O’Kane Pagliuso’s 1967 magenta velvet Princess gown, and Christine Nurches Pfleider’s 1970 light pink long- sleeve Princess gown.
William Cahill’s magnificent beaded gown designed for the 1965 Rose Queen. Gift of Rose Queen Dawn Baker Stephenson (88.67.1). Photo by Aaron Gil.
William Cahill’s legacy as a world renowned wedding dress designer lives on through the exhibition of his gorgeous creations at Pasadena Museum of History. In his heyday, Cahill’s creations were sought after by New York socialites, Southern debutantes, and brides from coast to coast. Through his beginnings on the aircraft design team at Lockheed to his emergent fame as a wedding gown designer, William Cahill is remembered for his brilliant artistic talent and creative spirit.
– Danielle New