If you are at all aware of vintage clothing collectibles, you will know that the ‘Souper Dress’ has reached cult status. Auctions on eBay have resulted in sales of this paper dress in the hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. It’s funny that a product that was intended to be disposable is so desired, but that is the nature of ephemera. Things that people threw away yesterday tend to be the most wanted today.
I found this ad for the original Souper Dress in the January 1969 issue of Ingenue magazine. A totally innocuous black and white ad set to the sidebar. ‘Young trend-setters’ could send $1.00 for each dress to Maple Plain, Minnesota, and you didn’t even need to send in a Campbell’s Soup label.
SOUPER DRESS BRINGS POP-ART TO THE WORLD OF FUN-FASHIONS
The Campbell Soup Company, long a focal point for many pop-art trends, is bringing pop-art to the world of fun-fashions with the Souper Dress. The Souper Dress is made of 80% cellulose and 20% cotton, is carefree, does not require cleaning, and is fire resistant (unless washed or cleaned). The dress is available in sized Small (5-8), Medium (9-12).
If I knew then what I know now, I would have ordered a boatload of these babies. But that is the nature of the collectibles market; it is the rare thing that is valuable. So pay attention to what you are throwing away today – those are the collectibles of the future!
“Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.” ~ Andy Warhol
~Marilyn 🙂
I'm Marilyn, and I'm obsessed with vintage clothing, thrift stores, clotheslines, and Chanel. Welcome to my down-to-earth world!
Thanks for this informative article. That’s me in the dress 51 years ago. I worked as a Secy at BBD&O advertising agency and they needed a “model” for the ad. I never kept a dress or stockpiled a bunch of them. It was just a fun part of the job. I thought it also ran in the back of Seventeen but maybe I’ve been wrong all these years. KSF
Soooo cool! Quite amazing; you are a souper model!
Kathy, that is so great! This is the only ad I’ve found for the Souper Dress. I too, thought it would have been in Seventeen magazine but never found it there. You are part of Pop Art history! Thanks for posting!
~Marilyn
Cissy, yes she is! The ORIGINAL souper model!
~Marilyn