1960's Mollie Parnis Gold and Cream Dress Suit

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1960's Mollie Parnis Gold and Cream Dress Suit

About the Item

Vintage Mollie Parnis Gold and Cream Dress Suit Gorgeous dress suit by Mollie Parnis boutique for Lord and Taylor. The dress suit features a plush gold and cream abstract brocade pattern on both the dress and the jacket. The jacket has long sleeves and a lapel collar; the dress is knee length and features a slot neckline. There are three layers of gold embroidered passementerie scalloped trim on the jacket, as well as on the dress' belt. Born to a poor immigrant family in Manhattan's Lower East Side, Mollie Parnis worked her way up from a New York blouse showroom to a dress business grossing millions of dollars a year. Her designs graced the figures of the American elite, including first ladies Mamie Eisenhower, Betty Ford, and Lady Bird Johnson, and many of the Kennedy family. Mollie Parnis' designs were comfortable, versatile, elegant, and entirely unpretentious, much like the designer herself. Dress - Bust: 36, Waist: 29, Hip: 41, Shoulder Hem Length: 40, Slit: 4 1/2 inches Jacket - Bust: 39, Waist: 34, Shoulder Hem Length: 16 1/2, Wrist: 11 1/4 inches Belt - Length: 32 1/4, Width 3 inches *All garments and accessories have been professionally cleaned and thoroughly checked before shipping. They are ready to wear upon arrival. Mollie Parnis was born Sarah Rosen Parnis to Jewish Austrian parents who had immigrated to the United States at the turn of the century. Parnis discovered her eye for design when working for a blouse manufacturer while studying law at Hunter College, but she often credited her discovery of fashion to a single incident: in high school, Parnis was invited to a party after attending a football game. Times were tough, and Parnis, having already worn her sole dress to the rally, raced home to redesign the dress on her back. After cutting the neckline, adding lace, and stitching on an artificial flower, Parnis was ready to attend the party, wearing her first-ever creation.  In 1933, Parnis and her husband, Leon Livingston, opened “Parnis Livingston Inc.,” a women’s boutique on New York’s Seventh Avenue that sold suits and blouses. After some success with her business, in the 1940s, Parnis began designing under only her name. Her voluminous shirtwaist dresses and straight-skirted suits with cropped jackets became her signature look. Parnis’ works were characterized by their luxurious fabrics, elegant nipped-waist silhouettes, refined patterns, and excellent craftsmanship.  After the death of her husband in 1962, Parnis took a three month break from the business, and returned with new, fresh ideas that were better suited to the increasingly casual face of American fashion. Mollie Parnis teamed up with designer Morty Sussman, and together the two of them produced “Mollie Parnis Boutique Collection,” and “Mollie Parnis Studio,” two secondary lines that appealed to the modern American woman with increased buying power, who had entered the work force, and who had a varied social calendar, as well as a busy home life. In 1985, one year after closing down her business, Parnis, who was unable to fully leave the design world, developed “Mollie Parnis at Home,” a collection for Chevette Lingerie.   Throughout Parnis’ long career, she constantly reinvented herself without jeopardizing the quality of her works. Parnis understood that fashion was a reflection of the times, an embodiment of the zeitgeist; her designs were meant to exist and add to the current social climate, and in doing so, were an phenomenal success.

Brand:
MOLLIE PARNIS Boutique
Dimensions:
Bust: 36 in (91.44 cm)Waist: 29 in (73.66 cm)Hip: 41 in (104.14 cm)Shoulder to Hem: 40 in (101.6 cm)
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1960-1969
Condition:
Seller Location:
Houston, TX
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU10322099273