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Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

American, 1900-1972

The signature details that characterize vintage Norman Norell evening dresses include classically tailored silhouettes, feminine round necklines and tenderly applied beading, carefully inspected both inside and out. Pop culture icon Marilyn Monroe wore many of Norell’s classic dresses over the years. And as a young model for a Seventh Avenue clothing manufacturer, screen siren Lauren Bacall liked to scour the racks of Loehmann’s with her mother, looking for the odd piece by a famous designer like Norell. 

Norell began his career in his early 20s, designing costumes for Paramount Pictures and Brooks Costume Company, as well as for esoteric vaudeville productions. The theater remained a major source of inspiration throughout his career. Often drenched in beads or sequins, a material that remained readily available despite wartime restrictions, his show-stopping mermaid gowns, a marriage of glitz and simplicity, harken back to the days of vaudeville. He continued to design these gowns until the end of his life.

Raised in a family of haberdashers, Norell was long-influenced by the cuts, fabrics and details of traditional menswear, and he sought to incorporate those concepts into his designs. In 1960, at a moment when women were not yet wearing pants to work, he made waves when he presented his then-controversial wool flannel culotte suit. Some years later, he designed a black dinner suit with a bow-tie, beating Yves Saint Laurent to the punch, and later still, he conceived a feminine version of an aviator jumpsuit.

A creature of habit, Norell stuck with many of his classic designs throughout his career, but he continued to experiment with avant-garde ideas for evening garments. This was perhaps most vividly expressed in his wild coats, runway crowd-pleasers adorned with ostrich feathers or massive red and pink flowers.  

A fan of a full dirndl, Norell made skirts that ranged from delicately creased to voluminous balloons, and he frequently paired these with pleated blouses or tight turtlenecks. One of the first designers to incorporate traditional elements of sportswear into his evening attire, a typical Norell evening gown was divided into three separate colors: one for the top, one for the skirt and one for the sash. And vintage Norman Norell gowns are inherently versatile — they’re as modern today as they were decades ago. The little black dresses that Norell designed offered similar flexibility. Perfectly simple and sexy are the round necklines, which Norell introduced to declutter his dresses and allow for a more modern look.

Norell was the first American designer to have his name on a dress label and on a successful fragrance. He possessed a refined elegance and a quiet audacity that he expressed through timeless, wearable pieces boldly embellished with luxe trimmings. His work would come to redefine the American ready-to-wear industry and earn him the nickname the “American Balenciaga.” He received the inaugural Coty Award for womenswear and was the first designer inducted into the fashion industry critics’ hall of fame.

Find vintage Norman Norell day dresses, suits, jackets and other clothing on 1stDibs.

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Designer: Norman Norell
Norell Designer Vintage Blackglama Mink Coat Size Large (10-12)
By Norman Norell
Located in Palm Springs, CA
This very chic "What Becomes A Legend Most" Blackglama (mink of the highest quality) was designed by the legendary Norman Norell. He was kno...
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1970s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

Vintage 1968 Norman Norell Black Wool Over-Sized Collar Double Breasted Mod Coat
By Norman Norell
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This chic Norman Norell coat, in a timeless black color, exemplifies his signature blend of couture level quality with quintessentially American style. This gorgeous garment, dating ...
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1960s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

1960 Norman Norell Silk Satin Abstract Polka Dot Maxi Opera Coat
By Norman Norell
Located in Gresham, OR
1960s Norman Norell silk satin opera coat/maxi coat with abstract polka-dot print and flocked velvet dots scattered throughout pattern. Fully lined in...
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1960s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

Vintage 1969 Norman Norell Royal Blue Wool Double-Breasted Mod Military Coat
By Norman Norell
Located in Beverly Hills, CA
This timeless Norman Norell coat, in the chicest royal blue color, exemplifies his signature blend of couture level quality with quintessentially American style. This gorgeous garmen...
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1960s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

NORMAN NORELL for MICHAEL FORREST of New York sumptuous Natural Mink Coat
By Norman Norell, Michael Forrest New York
Located in Los Angeles, CA
NORMAN NORELL for MICHAEL FORREST of New York, Vintage natural mink fur coat from the 1970s Tapered arms with Flared cuffs Midi-length Tapered body and...
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1970s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

Norman Norell Gray Flannel Cape
By Norman Norell
Located in New York, NY
Norman Norell Gray Wool Flannel Cape with 2 arm slits. Bell shaped with large cutaway notched collar and double breasted closure. Immaculately tailored by Norell with black silk ta...
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1960s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

Norell Vintage 1960'S Kelly Green Coat
By Norman Norell
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Norell Vintage 1960's Kelly Green 3 quarter double knit Coat with 3 patch pockets and silk lining. Coat has no closure. *ALL MEASUREMENTS TAKEN FLAT* Shoulder to shoulder : 13.5" ...
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1960s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

Norell A Line Grey Wool Coat
By Norman Norell
Located in New York, NY
Elegant grey flannel wool A-line coat by Norman Norell. Double breasted fastening with taupe silk lining. Heavy quality construction with bound buttonholes and gusseted kimono 3/4 sl...
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1960s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

Norell Pale Lemon Wool Coat, 1960s.
By Norman Norell
Located in New York, NY
Norell pale lemon yellow wool double breasted coat 1960s. Heavy weight wool with impeccable double breasted tailoring. Princess seaming.
Label missing.
Length: 38.5"...
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1960s American Norman Norell Coats and Outerwear

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Norman Norell coats and outerwear for sale on 1stDibs.

Find an extraordinary range of authentic Norman Norell coats and outerwear available on 1stDibs. If you’re browsing our collection of unique vintage and designer fashion to elevate your daily look or to introduce new colors to the dazzling formal wear in your wardrobe, this designer’s body of work includes elements of green, red and other tones. Customers who are interested in this designer might also find the work of Norma Kamali, James Galanos, and Calvin Klein appealing. On 1stDibs, find haute couture, vintage and designer Norman Norell coats and outerwear from top boutiques around the world. Norman Norell coats and outerwear prices can differ depending upon time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $895 and tops out at $6,895, while the average work can sell for $2,200.

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