TRUTHPLUSBLOG INTERVIEW

A big THANK YOU to Jessica Gold Newman - not only was this a very fun interview, but Jessica's blog truthplusblog.com is a very intelligent and refreshing take on the fashion industry, check it out.

from truthplusblog.com

Fashion historian John Tiffany on Eleanor Lambert and The Coty Awards

In the past, fashion industry awards such as the Neiman Marcus Fashion Awards(1938-1995) and the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Awards(1943-1984) garnered as much interest as any of our present-day red-carpet rundowns.

The Coty Awards, in particular, were considered on-par with the Oscars and the Tonys in the 1940s, 50s and 60s, and were given to American fashion designers for the excellence of their work. Award show attendees included heads-of-state, Hollywood stars, and industry power-players. Pictures of the award shows were splashed across the pages of mainstream newspapers and winners were interviewed on television by the likes of Dinah Shore. A winning designer or manufacturer was assured that he or she would benefit from the acclaim... click here to read the entire article.

The Coty Awards Show 1950, Bonnie Cashin and Charles James

(courtesy of Truthplusblog.com)

THEY CAME FROM INDIANA... PART 4 NORELL

Norman Norell with models, 1959

Brooklyn Museum Costume Collection, gift of Toni Tavan

close-up of Norell's plum colored mermaid dress, Decades, Los Angeles

gown by Norman Norell, New York Public Library Archives

Norman Norell

Norman Norell, another talent from Indiana… Noblesville, Indiana.

Norman Norell, born Norman David Levinson in 1900, went to New York at the age of 19 to study painting. Working as a theatrical and movie costume designer for Paramount and Brooks Costume Company, he designed costumes for Rudolph Valentino and for Gloria Swanson. From 1924 to 1928, Norell worked for Charles Armour.

In 1932 he joined Hattie Carnegie, who was a client of… you guessed it.. Eleanor Lambert!

While working for Hattie Carnegie he adapted Paris design models for the American market. There he learned French couture techniques and how to change the Parisian proportions to fit the American body. After 12 years with her, he left to join Anthony Traina, where he also enlisted the help of his friend Eleanor Lambert to work her PR magic. The first Traina-Norell collection was very successful.

In 1943 Norman Norell won the very the first Coty American Fashion Critics Award. He won the award in again in 1951 and 1956. With the death of Traina, the firm was renamed Norman Norell. Jersey sequinned dresses (the Mermaid Dresses) were one of his hallmarks.

I remember at one Council of Fashion Designer of America Awards Ceremony in the 1990s, Lauren Bacall proclaiming Norman Norell and Halston as two of her top four greatest fashion influences, she said...

'"Norman Norell and Halston were two of the greatest American designers of all time... In fact, they were two of the greatest designers of all time!"

You can't argue with Lauren Bacall, I know I dont!

partial source: Smithsonian Archives

NEW YORK WAS HER CITY...

Photography by Karl Giant

I began this project because I have a passion for Eleanor Lambert. She had vision, tenacity and drive. She had an impeccable eye for talent. She loved new ideas and interesting people.

Her tireless work, not only in fashion, but in so many areas of our culture touches us daily. She created the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), organized fashion week, started the Coty Awards and The International Best Dressed List, she created the Costume Institute at the Met, the Costume Gala and of course she championed fashion designers, turning them into stars, superstars and some... legends. The list of her accomplishments goes on and on - keep logging on, because we are going to talk about all of it! But, it would be impossible to capture the essence of Miss Lambert without talking about the city as a central character in her life.

New York was her city, she knew it well and she loved it. It was her home for nearly 80 years. Forbes Magazine once said of Eleanor Lambert: "She treats New York like a small town." Indeed she did.

Miss Lambert spoke about her affection for New York just before her 100th birthday. ''Every idea gets a hearing in New York,'' said Miss Lambert, ''And if no one agrees with you, then you better get another idea.''