Tag Archives: designers

Searching for Koko Beall

Posted on December 12, 2014 by Lynn

Some of my very favorite sewing patterns are by Koko Beall from the Very Easy Vogue series. Recently I came across a short feature about her in an 1981 issue of Vogue Pattern Book that peaked my curiosity. Here’s what … Continue reading →

Posted in 1960s, 1970s, 1980s, 1990 | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Charles James’s Coats

Posted on August 15, 2014 by Lynn

On a recent trip to New York, I caught the tail end of the much acclaimed Charles James exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum. The show, which mainly featured James’s gowns, was a technological wonder. Many of the clothes were documented … Continue reading →

Posted in 1940s | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Marion Dorn—From Stripes to Flowers

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Lynn

One beneficiary of the design classes at the American Museum of Natural History was Marion Dorn (1896-1964), who went on to make a career as a designer of textiles and carpets. She credited the classes with starting her career. By … Continue reading →

Posted in 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Book Review—An American Style: Global Sources for New York Fashion and Textile Design, 1915-1928 by Ann Marguerite Tartsinis

Posted on July 18, 2014 by Lynn

When I first discovered the work of Jessie Franklin Turner, I thought she was a fashion original. Imagine having the vision to turn to museum collections as your main source of inspiration. In this short book, a companion volume to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Elizabeth Hilt, Queen of the Shirtwaist

Posted on May 9, 2014 by Lynn

If the shirtwaist was the most beloved style of the 1950s, then Elizabeth Hilt was the most beloved designer. She gained a reputation for creating stylish shirtwaists for Henry Rosenfeld, “America’s best known supplier of popular priced dresses,” according to … Continue reading →

Posted in 1950s | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Irene Saltern’s Archive

Posted on May 28, 2013 by Lynn

German American designer Irene Saltern (a merging of her maiden name Stern and her married name Salinger) is not well known today, but she was an important creator of California sportswear from the 1940s through the 1970s. Her life story … Continue reading →

Posted in 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s | Tagged , | 3 Comments