DONALD BROOKS -- ONSTAGE

Diahann Carroll & Richard Kelly in Donald Brooks' Costumes for the Broadway Play "No Strings"

Carol Burnett in "Fade Out-Fade In"

"Flora the Red Menace" Starring Liza Minelli

Liza Minelli with Judy Garland after a performance of "Flora the Red Menace"

As I mentioned in my last post, Donald Brook’s passion, as well as the majority of his career, belonged to stage design.

According to the New York Times, Mr. Brooks campaigned to design costumes for the 1962 production of "No Strings" starring Diahann Carroll. He presented his concept to the producer Richard Rodgers on a black model. "That sealed the deal for him," said Brook’s sister Kay Blick.

Donald Brooks received a Tony nomination for "No Strings" and the first of three Oscar nominations, for "The Cardinal," in 1963, the same year he won his first Coty Award.

Mr. Brooks designed costumes for more than 20 Broadway shows, including "Flora, the Red Menace" with Liza Minnelli and "Fade Out, Fade In" with Carol Burnett, both in 1965, and was elected to the nominating committee for the Tony Awards in 1992. He won an Emmy for his designs for Lee Remick in the 1982 television film "The Letter."

source: New York Times, Eric Wilson, August 3, 2005

B3 - LET’S TALK ABOUT DONALD BROOKS!

Bill Blass, Geoffrey Beene and Donald Brooks were known inside the fashion industry as "the three B's of fashion."

Donald Brooks however, never became as famous as Claire McCardell, Bonnie Cashin, Bill Blass and Geoffrey Beene, the design legends of his era. It is extremely surprising to me after pouring through pictures, press releases, bios and his work that Donald Brooks was not a HUGE star known to everyone!

According to the New York Times:

“Mr. Brooks emerged as American designers began to develop their own style during and after World War II, introducing more casual sportswear while stepping out of the backrooms of garment manufacturing to become fashion personalities with their own labels. “

Mr. Brooks's passion, however, and the majority of his career, belonged to stage and film costume design. I have been doing a lot of research lately and have been completely taken by Donald Brooks and his work and his incredible career...

Much more to come on Donald Brooks…. but in the meantime, enjoy these pictures from the archives...

INSIDERS OF FASHION: THE THREE B'S

The break is over...

First came the emails on the blog, on Facebook and the Twitter.... "John Tiffany, please return to blogging..."

then my friends nudged me.... "John, get back to it, I really miss it..."

then... people on the street, at events and parties all around the city and last weekend people outside NYC asking what happened...

Empress of Fashion blog fans.... I hear you and I am back... and I plan to stay with you...

so... let's talk INSIDER FASHION...

Has anyone heard of: "The Three B's?"

take a guess... Who were the Big Three insiders of fashion -- whose names started with a B?

Who will be the first to guess all three?