Bill Blass 1960's Vintage Black Sleeveless Dress
View Similar Items
Bill Blass 1960's Vintage Black Sleeveless Dress
About the Item
- Designer:
- Brand:
- Style:1960's (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Toronto, CA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2031700733
Bill Blass
Venerated designer and philanthropist Bill Blass helped define style for women of means during the late 20th century and inspired generations of fashion industry professionals and enthusiasts all over the world.
Blass designed garments that saw a playful mingling of notes both subdued and bold, and his clothes were comfortable, easy to wear and sexy. The Indiana native was influenced by the likes of Coco Chanel and became famous for refined, simple looks that appealed to prominent women such as Brooke Astor and Gloria Vanderbilt.
Blass didn’t endeavor to produce showstoppers — he worked with quality materials, and his modern designs boasted meticulous tailoring. He glamourized sportswear with chic lines and dramatic colors, and by way of subtle, graceful ruffles or a tasteful application of sequins, he introduced modest flair to his day dresses and evening dresses. Vintage Bill Blass clothing is just as relevant today as it was during the height of his career.
Blass, who spent his spare time sketching red-carpet looks in his school notebooks as a kid, left home at 17 and moved to New York City, where he trained at the McDowell School of Fashion. After finishing design school, he joined the U.S. Army and fought in World War II. When the war was over, Blass returned to Manhattan. In 1946 he joined the fashion house Anna Miller and Co., where he worked as a design assistant for Anna Miller and her brother Maurice Rentner.
Anna Miller and Co. merged with Maurice Rentner, Ltd. in 1959, and Blass became the company's head designer. There he quickly built a name for himself and was soon a staple of the postwar fashion scene, impressing even the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar at the time, Diana Vreeland. Blass expanded into designing menswear and was the first couture designer in America to create a collection for men.
In 1970, Blass gained ownership of Rentner and renamed the company after himself. Blass employed a licensing-based business strategy, and soon his name marked a full array of accessories and apparel, including Bill Blass jeans, watches, home furnishings, eyewear and luggage. Blass's renown and success expanded considerably, as fashion bearing his name became more accessible than it had ever been.
Throughout his life, Blass made considerable contributions to the AIDS care center at Cornell Medical Center and to the New York Public Library. In 1962, he became a founding member of the Council of Fashion Designs of America (CFDA) trade association, which promotes American designers around the world. The CFDA presented Blass with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, and he was the first recipient of their Humanitarian Leadership Award in 1996.
Find vintage Bill Blass fashion on 1stDibs.
- 1970S Purple & Blue Floral Rayon Boho Loose Size DressLocated in New York, NY1970S Purple & Blue Floral Rayon Boho Loose Size DressCategory
1970s Casual Dresses
- New GIANNI VERSACE COUTURE BLACK STUDDED DRESS 38 - 2, 40 - 4By Gianni VersaceLocated in Montgomery, TXVERSACE COUTURE BLACK DRESS "Versace fashion is elaborate, colorful and strong. It's playfully classy and immediately rich." Opt for a biker chic look with Versace' bold black dres...Category
2010s Italian Cocktail Dresses
- 2000S ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Black Cotton Kimono Sleeve Cocoon Shirt DressLocated in New York, NY2000S ALEXANDER MCQUEEN Black Cotton Kimono Sleeve Cocoon Shirt DressCategory
Early 2000s Italian Day Dresses
- Moschino Spot Dress with Wrap Over Front.By Love Moschino, MoschinoLocated in London, GBA wonderful Moschino dress , black with crimson spots. The dress has a wrap over front with zip detail, side zip opening and is fully lined.Category
2010s Unknown Day Dresses
- Vintage English Lady Day DressLocated in London, GBA chic and easy to wear day dress by English Lady. The dress is in a wool jersey with a black background and colourful leaf print. It has a button through opening to below the waist...Category
1970s British Day Dresses
- Christian Lacroix Vintage Trompe L'Oeil Print Sleeveless Turtleneck Dress Size MBy Christian LacroixLocated in Nice, FRCHRISTIAN LACROIX vintage trompe l'œil bustier, jewels and lace print sleeveless turtleneck dress. The front bottom is made of gold lame with a lace pattern (see photo 11). The back...Category
20th Century French Day Dresses