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)

JOYEUX NORELL

photo credit: Manuel Balce Ceneta, AP

First Lady Michelle Obama in vintage Norman Norell at "Christmas in Washington" show

It’s truly funny how things happen…

This week, I was in a few different locations knee deep in archives researching various fashion show spectaculars that Eleanor Lambert staged in the 1940s and 1950s. I kept thinking about Norman Norell - and his work kept coming up time and time again. Of course, he was from Miss Lambert’s home state of Indiana, he was the very first winner of a Coty Award and he won so many Coty Awards that they created a new category of award – The Coty Hall of Fame. In addition, Miss Lambert was his publicist and dear friend. During my research this week, I came across some incredible pictures of four Norman Norell designs that were featured in The New York Times from 1958 and I really wanted to do a post on Norell but I kept thinking that I did not want to overdo it.

Then… our First Lady Michelle Obama makes history this week at “The Christmas in Washington” concert in Washington, DC dazzling in one-of-a-kind vintage number by designer Norman Norell!!

According to the The Huffington Post, The First Lady picked up the black-lace overlay dress, which boasted a full tea-length tulle style skirt and a square neckline (something rarely seen in contemporary designs), at New York Vintage boutique, signaling what store owner Jon Schneck believes to be the first time a first lady has worn a vintage dress to a public event, reports donned the elegant 1950s piece.

Maybe Michelle Obama will wear a vintage Norell sequined mermaid gown to a state dinner... here's hoping!

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

LILLY DACHE PART 2

Upstairs at my Grandmother Tiffany’s house was a wonderful place to explore. There was one room all the grandchildren especially loved -- which we called “The Queens Room.” It was painted pale pink and had art deco furniture with closets and chests full of clothes that my grandmother no longer wore – dresses, gowns, fur coats and on the closet shelves -- Lilly Dache hat boxes protecting the most incredible and stylish hats.

My grandmother used to say: “Well years ago, you bought your new hat before you bought your new dress.”

By the late 1920s, Lilly Dache was already a huge success. In fact, there was a Lilly Dache building on 56th Street!

In the 1930's during the depression, women tended to buy new hats instead of new clothes. In the 1940's clothing fabric was in restricted supply because of World War II, and hats continued to be in big demand because they were showy.

Lilly Dache saw that millinery might not continue in fashion forever, so she kept it her hats updated -- snoods with flowers, veils and bows as alternatives. In 1943, Norman Norell and Lilly Dache won the first Coty Awards – with Dache winning for millinery.

At the end of the 1950's Lilly Dache hired the young Halston Frowick. She also hired Kenneth Battelle to take charge of her hair salon. By the 1960's elaborate coiffures by Kenneth, as he was known, swept hats off the fashion map. All three – Lilly Dache, Halston and Kenneth were clients of Eleanor Lambert.

Miss Dache did not mourn the end of the millinery era. After her retirement, she rarely wore a hat; she preferred wigs.

I once told Miss Lambert about my grandmother's collection of Lilly Dache hats and she laughed and replied "Every stylish woman loved Lilly Dache... she also made the best turbans, she would make them right on your head."

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

THEY CAME FROM INDIANA... TAKE A GUESS

Judy Garland, photo by Richard Avedon 1963

YES! We have yet another incredible designer from INDIANA who was a client of Eleanor Lambert! We have not talked about this designer yet... So, can you guess who the designer was? Hint: This designer won a Coty Award in 1943.... Judy Garland is wearing a dress by this talented desinger.

AMAZING photos and bio will be posted soon....

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.''