THEY CAME FROM INDIANA... PART 3 LAMBERT

Eleanor Lambert at her desk

Last week I wrote that there are lots of successful people in the fashion business from all over the world, but it seems that there has been an inordinate amount of fashion talent from Indiana.

First I talked about Halston who made his way to New York from Evansville via Chicago. Then we showed some highlights of Bill Blass who came from Fort Wayne... and of course the Empress of Fashion herself, Eleanor Lambert was from Indiana as well!

Born in Crawfordsville, Indiana, Miss Lambert attended John Herron Art Institute in Indianapolis and the Chicago Art Institute studying sculpture and doing fashion sketches and fashion reporting to earn her way to a professional career in New York.

MISS LAMBERT SAID IT BEST...

Eleanor Lambert, photo by Peter Fink, Paris

“You cannot separate people, their yearnings, their dreams,

and their inborn vanity from their interest in clothes.”

-Eleanor Lambert

Miss Lambert understood that fashion is not only an idea for the wealthy or the elite but it is something that captures the attention and the imagination of all people regardless of their situation in life.

THEY CAME FROM INDIANA... Part I HALSTON

A young Halston

"Halston of Bergdorf Goodman" with actress Anita Cobb 1965, photo by Ormond Gigli

photo of Halston in the 1970s by Andy Warhol

Harper's Bazaar editorial spread 1970s, photo by Bill King

Halston at his NYC townhouse, photo by Harry Benson

There are lots of successful people in the fashion business from all over the world, but it seems that there has been an inordinate amount of fashion talent from Indiana. Halston made his way to New York from Evansville, Indiana via Chicago.

Halston's first job in New York was working for the famous hat designer Lilly Dache, who happened to be a long-time client of Eleanor Lambert. Miss Lambert had an amazing eye for recognizing new talent... and soon she was promoting Halston too!

Halston won the first of numerous Coty Awards beginning in 1962. In the early 1960s he was the famous hat designer "Halston of Bergdorf Goodman" designing hats for Jackie Kennedy. In the 1970s, he reached the height of his fame and his designs helped to define the decade and American style. Bill Blass said it best:

"Halston was really the first American designer to make

an original statement,

particularly in a time when fashion

was so derivative of European designs,

it sounds corny,

but he was the quintessential American designer."

-Bill Blass

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.''

MAINBOCHER

The Duke and Duchess of Windsor on their wedding day.

Before she became the Duchess of Windsor, Wallis Simpson stayed with Eleanor Lambert in New York City and together they assembled Wallis' wedding trousseau. The Duchess ended up wearing a pale blue Mainbocher dress on her wedding day.

Mainbocher (pronounced "MaineBocker") is one of only two Americans who have shown couture in Paris under their own name (the other is Ralph Rucci). Mainbocher established his house in 1929, he successfully operated in Paris (1929-1939) and then in New York (1940-1971). I bet you'll never guess who did public relations for him?