Fashion History Tidbits - Vintage and Modern Designers
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Fashion history is an interesting subject with so many fashion designers to celebrate. It's amazing to learn about their accomplishments and their various styles through my research and reading from my personal library.
This blog focuses on all fashion history topics, both vintage and modern with tidbits about the ones that intrigue me the most including designers, department stores, fabrics, jewelry, handbags, fashion styles, and more.
I encourage your input and invite you to join me in the ongoing conversation.
Below are some tidbits I'd like to share with you.
We all look forward to reading yours!
ADRIENNE VITTADINI was born in Budapest, Hungary in 1945. When she was 12, her family fled Budapest during the 1956 Hungarian revolution. She studied at the Moore College of Art in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA and won a scholarship to apprentice with Louis Feraud in Paris, in 1965. After completing this, she moved to New York. In 1979, she started what would become a multi-million dollar fashion business as a hobby.
DIANE VON FURSTENBERG (born 31 December 1946) is a Belgian fashion designer best known for her wrap dress. In 1974, she introduced the knitted jersey "wrap dress", which became an iconic piece in women's fashion; it is included in the collection of the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
FRANK USHER was launched during post-war austerity Britain, and was in actual fact a defunct name bought by Max and Anne Bruh, a married couple who had fled Nazi-occupied Germany and operated as a ready-to-wear house that copied Haute-Parisian looks.
GIANFRANCO FERRE was chosen to design the Dior collection in 1989, a position he held until 1996.
GOLDWORM was an American sportswear company that ran from 1927 to 1981. It was particularly famous for its knitwear designs. The Goldworm company was founded in 1927 by Samuel Goldworm (d.1953) and his wife Gertrude (d.1983). Their son, Robert Goldworm, joined the company in 1947, and succeeded his father as company president. Under Robert's leadership, the company became quickly renowned for high quality knitwear, for which it won a Coty Award in 1956. Robert Goldworm was an active promoter of knitwear, opening a base in Milan, Italy, where he could have top-quality Italian knits made for the New York market. The first designer of American knits in Italy, in 1959 he was made a Commander of the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity by the Italian government in recognition of his active promotion and support of the Italian knitwear industry. In addition to this, Goldworm won five Woolknit Design Awards. REF: Wikipedia
LAURA BIAGIOTTI (4 August 1943 – 26 May 2017) was an Italian fashion designer, and the founder of the House of Biagiotti.
Biagiotti had her first fashion show in 1972.
She moved to Beijing and, in April 1988, was the first Italian designer to present a collection in China.
In 1995, she received an award from the President of Italy for her contributions to fashion and later the Marco Polo award from the Chinese government for promoting fashion in China. She also received the Leonardo Prize in Italy.
NOLAN MILLER collaborated on many projects with television producers Aaran Spelling and Douglas Cramer, including Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat, and Fantasy Island.
SANCREST JEWELRY was made by the Sanford and Company Inc in Los Angeles between 1951 and 1954 and are best known for their production of Native American Indian style Jewelry using synthetic Turquoise.
STATEMENT SLEEVES:
The concept of a "statement sleeve" is a fashion trend that has evolved over time and it's difficult to attribute its origin to a single designer. Below are some notable designers who have made significant contributions to the trend.
- 16th century: The ruff, a gathered or pleated piece of fabric, was a popular fashion element in the Renaissance era, adding drama to sleeves.
- 18th century: The puff sleeve, popularized during the Georgian era, added volume to sleeves, making them a focal point.
- 1980s: Designers like shoulder-pad pioneer, Donna Karan, and flamboyant designer, Jean Paul Gaultier, experimented with exaggerated sleeves, laying groundwork for future statement sleeves.
More recently, designers like:
- Demna Gvasalia (Balenciaga, Vetements)
- Alessandro Michele (Gucci)
- Anthony Vaccarello (Saint Laurent)
- Virgil Abloh (Off-White, Louis Vuitton)
have all created show-stopping, statement sleeves in their collections, pushing the boundaries of fashion and influencing the trend.
While it's hard to identify a single designer who created the first statement sleeve, these innovators have undoubtedly contributed to the evolution of this eye-catching fashion element.
TADASHI SHOJI (born January 15, 1948) is an American-based Japanese fashion designer known for his evening wear and bridal collections, and his red-carpet fashion
He attended Los Angeles Trade–Technical College where he studied fashion design. As a student, Shoji apprenticed with costume designer Bill Whitten. Shoji worked alongside Whitten, who created designs for musicians including Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Neil Diamond, The Jacksons, and Earth, Wind, & Fire. After graduation, Shoji worked for designer-turned-critic Richard Blackwell.
Shoji launched his eponymous brand in 1982. He stated he was inspired to branch out on his own when he noticed that women had few choices in the contemporary market when it came to special occasion dresses.
Tadashi Shoji was a sponsor of Miss Universe Pageant from 2002 to 2007. He designed the opening dresses as well as the evening wear Miss Universe would wear to her events in her winning year. Riyo Mori was the last Miss Universe who wore Shoji's evening gowns during her title Miss Universe 2007.
REF: Wikipedia
TORI RICHARD's philosophy was to bring sophistication to women's resort wear. Founder, Mort Feldman, an apparel manufacturer from Chicago, flew to Hawaii in 1953. He established the company Tori Richard in 1956.
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