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This blog post was written by Andrea Hughes, The Children's Museum's American Collection Curator.
Indiana may not seem like a big source of fashion, but several well-known designers have roots in the Hoosier state. Three of those designers are represented in the museum’s collection.
Roy Halston Frowick, known in the fashion world as Halston, was raised in Evansville and became famous after he designed the pillbox hat that Jacqueline Kennedy wore for her husband's presidential inauguration in 1961. During the 1970s, he was known for his simple and elegant clothing. Clothing like this shirtdress made from blue ultrasuede is very representative of his work.
Bill Blass was from Fort Wayne, and went to New York when he was 17 years old to study and work in fashion. He became a fashion designer whose creations would help define American style by blending chic with casual. He said he designed for women who liked clothes, but were “not obsessed with fashion.” Always wanting to design wearable clothing he mixed textures and fabrics with simplicity and style. This coat from the 1960s is a good example of that.
Norman Norell was born in Noblesville, and grew up in Indianapolis. He began working designing costumes for movies, then moved into fashion design. This pink dress is from the 1950s, when he was in a partnership with Anthony Traina, a clothing manufacturer. Norell was so well-respected in the fashion world that he has been called the father of American high fashion. He thought a woman could “never be too simple during the day or too elaborate at night.”
Which of these three designs is your favorite? Do you have a memory about a favorite dress? Share your style story with us!
