…………………………..Over the span of a 50 year career Mr Norell was known for his glamorous sequin Mermaid dresses that are still worn today, his exquisite and precise tailoring of suits and coats. He also used sailor collars and pussycat bows repeatedly. He was a master, and every garment he made was perfection. Sometimes, when I had a free moment, I would sit quietly and watch the tailors hand roll collars with steam and then manipulate them with their fingers so they would dry in the shape they wanted. I watched them hand tailor collars and lapels with exact “feather”stitching…….something that’s long gone except in couture and very very expensive men’s made to measure suits…….His fashion shows were special events, and the evening shows were Black Tie as can be seen in the bottom left photo…Gold guilt ballroom chairs were brought in and Champagne was served after the show…..That’s Helen Gurley Brown sitting in the front row in the top photo at one of the shows…..That’s Darlene on the runway, another of Mr. Norell’s favorites………What absolutely drives me crazy is today’s fashion student don’t even know who Norman Norell was. They don’t teach Fashion History in the design schools today. When I went to Parsons we had a fashion history course. We had to go to the Brooklyn Museum of Art’s fashion department and do research on designers of the past. Designers like Paul Poirot, Worth, Schiaparelli, Madame Vionnet etc etc. The last class I taught….the students didn’t even know who Rudi Gernreich was!!! I had them use his designs as inspiration for their project….He was the most modern avant guard designer of the 60s and 70s…..The topless bathing suit and the no bra bra revolutionized the undergarment industry…..and they had no clue. I am sure today’s students have no clue who I am……Once in a while there would be a designer doing research there too. Bonnie Cashin was a frequent visitor at the….Design students today want the easy quick route to success, and don’t want to do the necessary preparation to be come successful. That’s why so many of them fail to accomplish their goals. When I went to Parsons there were 250 students starting in the Fashion Design Department. When I graduated there were 21 of us left, and out of the 21 only 3 of us became well known……..Donna, Bill Robertson who became a men’s designer, but died of Aids at 33, and myself. Donna and myself had careers that lasted 50 years plus….Others were successful, but worked for companies and never got name recognition……I thank Mr. Norell for his sage advise all those years ago that stayed with me through out my career. I will be eternally grateful.
Looks like Mr. Norell was the first with the “Smoky Eye”
and the Louboutin “Red Lip”, among his trends which became classics. What class did you teach Louis?
Cela….Parsons had what they called a “Critic Program”. A designer would come in and was assigned a group of students. I was one of the “Critic Designers”. We would assign our students a project….evening, suits, coats dresses or to be inspired by a period of fashion or a designer….whatever the designer came up with. For one of my projects I gave them Rudi Gernreich the designer as an inspiration. They didn’t know who he was!!!! which I found astounding. They then had to do research and then sketch designs based on their research. We then met as a group, and I reviewed the sketches and chose one for each student to make. Then we went through fittings until the garments were complete. All of the students were present even those that weren’t working with me directly. It was a learning experience for all.
What a valuable program. If kids aren’t guided toward a career they might not think it’s worth all the effort and take the path of least resistance . Some kids are on their own but don’t talk about it. If they have to think about rent, utilities food and keeping their car going, they can be easily distracted, right? They have to have
a VISION of where they will end up. That vision is their driving force.
No wonder so many young designers seem to be copying from past designers, they haven’t learned the history, the fashion, that came before them. I can even remember that coming up on Project Runway episode years ago. I think Michael Kors tried to get them to study the works of other designers. Even I have an incredibly large book of the history of fashion and I only make clothing for myself and my sister. Of course, over my 55 years of apparel sewing, I have sold some of my work.but not much anymore (also getting back into quilting but the very modern quilting designs of today). I’m more the “art teacher cool” style now but was once tailored to a T. Bound buttonholes, welt pockets, bagged linings, vented cuffs…did it all, now it’s elastic waist, no zippers, no buttons if I can help it, oversized fit and mostly linen or fine knits. I have almost every color of the pebble crepe tunics with the shark bite hems you did several years ago but I could only get one of the trapeze open front jackets…in that celedon color. I sized up to get a more oversize fit. My sister saw a presentation and yelled to me “Louis made something especially for your, you better hurry and order!” Lol, were exactly my style. I know others have mentioned it before but honestly, you need to write a book. You probably have enough content to show to a publisher already along with amazing photos to grace the pages. I’m sure there are many people like me who remember Norell and Beene, Fath, McCardell, Cashin, etc. Your fascinating life along with intimate knowledge of other designers, fabric houses, models and more should be published and I honestly think it will be a best seller. You’ve shared your enormous talent with millions throughout your career and now you can share the story, the who, when, where and how. I’m sorry to have rambled on and on for this long post and thank you for these blog posts, I look forward to each one.
Dear Corkpop, am I correct in saying that this is the first time you have left me a message? I think I would have remembered the name “Corkpop”! LOL…..As much as you enjoy reading my posts I too enjoy reading the messages you all leave for me otherwise it becomes very one sided. I found what you had to say very interesting and wanted to read MORE about you! You obviously have knowledge about fashion designers, fashion history and garment construction beyond a home sewer. You peeked my curiosity! To whom did you sell your clothes? Are you or were you an art teacher?……Don’t ever worry about rambling on. I’m just as interested about all of the women who post here as you all are about me.