Bill Blass
Encyclopedia
William Ralph "Bill" Blass (June 22, 1922 – June 12, 2002) was an American fashion designer, born in Fort Wayne, Indiana
. He is known for his tailoring and his innovative combinations of textures and patterns. He is the recipient of many fashion awards, including seven Coty Awards and the Fashion Institute of Technology
's Lifetime Achievement Award (1999).
man who committed suicide when his son was five years old, and his wife, the former Ethyl Easter Keyser (died 1952), a dressmaker
. He had one sister, Virginia Mae (born 1920).
In his autobiography Blass wrote that the margins in his school books were filled with sketches of Hollywood-inspired fashions instead of notes. At fifteen, he began sewing, selling evening gown
s for $25 each to a New York manufacturer. At 17 he had saved up enough money to move to Manhattan
and study fashion. He excelled in his fashion studies immediately and at 18 was the first male to win Mademoiselle
' s Design for Living award. He spent his salary of $30 a week on clothing, shoes, and elegant meals.
In 1942 Blass enlisted in the army
. He was assigned to the 603rd Camouflage Battalion
with a group of writers, artists, sound engineers, theater technicians, and other creative professionals. Their mission was to fool the German Army
into believing the Allies were positioned in fake locations. They did this by using recordings, dummy tank
s, and other false materials.
s, luggage
, perfume
, and chocolate
. By 1998, his company had grown to a $700-million-a-year business.
Blass’ designs are best known for being wearable. In a time when other designers were designing clothes which were known more for being a work of art, Blass was designing clothing which even everyday women could wear day or night. According to Ellin Saltzman in the New York Times, "He took American sportswear to its highest level…giving it a clean, modern, impeccable style… He, probably more than any designer knew his customer and understood her."
for an exclusive edition of their Continental
Mark series of automobiles. In 1976 he shared model configurations with Emilio Pucci
, Hubert de Givenchy
, and Cartier
. Each year, as goes true fashion, the interior and exterior color combinations would be updated. One of the most popular was the 1979 edition honoring a nautical theme, as did the Blass logo of the time. Small anchors were incorporated into the exterior accent striping and interior accents within the Blass back-to-back "B" design theme. A truly unique feature of this model, and the 1980 through 1983 Mark series Blass models, was a "carriage roof" giving a convertible top look to the cars. After 1983, the Blass edition became just a unique color option with rear quarter window model designations and a few features that were options on the standard model.
Tyler Rose was assistant designer for William Blass.
and retired to his home in New Preston, Connecticut
. Blass was diagnosed with oral/tongue cancer in 2000, not long after he began writing his memoir. His cancer later morphed into throat cancer, resulting in Blass's death in 2002. He died ten days before his 80th birthday and six days after completing his memoir, "Bare Blass".
Blass collected art and was a connoisseur of antiquities
and in his will bequeathed half of his $52 million estate, as well as several important ancient sculptures, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
.
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
. He is known for his tailoring and his innovative combinations of textures and patterns. He is the recipient of many fashion awards, including seven Coty Awards and the Fashion Institute of Technology
Fashion Institute of Technology
The Fashion Institute of Technology, generally known as FIT, is a State University of New York college of art, business, design, and technology connected to the fashion industry, with an urban campus located on West 27th Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of...
's Lifetime Achievement Award (1999).
Early life
Bill Blass, born William Ralph Blass in 1922, was the only son of Ralph Aldrich Blass, a traveling hardware salesSales
A sale is the act of selling a product or service in return for money or other compensation. It is an act of completion of a commercial activity....
man who committed suicide when his son was five years old, and his wife, the former Ethyl Easter Keyser (died 1952), a dressmaker
Dressmaker
A dressmaker is a person who makes custom clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Also called a mantua-maker or a modiste.-Notable dressmakers:*Cristobal Balenciaga*Charles Frederick Worth...
. He had one sister, Virginia Mae (born 1920).
In his autobiography Blass wrote that the margins in his school books were filled with sketches of Hollywood-inspired fashions instead of notes. At fifteen, he began sewing, selling evening gown
Evening gown
An evening gown is a long flowing women's dress usually worn to a formal affair. It ranges from tea and ballerina to full-length. Evening gowns are often made of a luxury fabric such as chiffon, velvet, satin, or silk...
s for $25 each to a New York manufacturer. At 17 he had saved up enough money to move to Manhattan
Manhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
and study fashion. He excelled in his fashion studies immediately and at 18 was the first male to win Mademoiselle
Mademoiselle (magazine)
Mademoiselle was an influential women's magazine first published in 1935 by Street and Smith and later acquired by Condé Nast Publications....
In 1942 Blass enlisted in the army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. He was assigned to the 603rd Camouflage Battalion
The Ghost Army
The Ghost Army was a United States Army tactical deception unit during World War II officially known as the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. The 1,100-man unit was given a unique mission within the Army to impersonate other U.S. Army units to deceive the enemy...
with a group of writers, artists, sound engineers, theater technicians, and other creative professionals. Their mission was to fool the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
into believing the Allies were positioned in fake locations. They did this by using recordings, dummy tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s, and other false materials.
Fashion career
Blass began his New York fashion career in 1946. He was a protégé of Baron de Gunzburg. In 1970, after two decades of success in menswear and womenswear, he bought Maurice Rentner Ltd., which he had joined in 1959, and renamed it Bill Blass Limited. Over the next 30 years he expanded his line to include swimwear, furFur
Fur is a synonym for hair, used more in reference to non-human animals, usually mammals; particularly those with extensives body hair coverage. The term is sometimes used to refer to the body hair of an animal as a complete coat, also known as the "pelage". Fur is also used to refer to animal...
s, luggage
Luggage
Baggage is any number of bags, cases and containers which hold a traveller's articles during transit.Luggage is more or less the same concept as "baggage", but is normally used in relation to the personal luggage of a specific person or persons Baggage is any number of bags, cases and containers...
, perfume
Perfume
Perfume is a mixture of fragrant essential oils and/or aroma compounds, fixatives, and solvents used to give the human body, animals, objects, and living spaces "a pleasant scent"...
, and chocolate
Chocolate
Chocolate is a raw or processed food produced from the seed of the tropical Theobroma cacao tree. Cacao has been cultivated for at least three millennia in Mexico, Central and South America. Its earliest documented use is around 1100 BC...
. By 1998, his company had grown to a $700-million-a-year business.
Blass’ designs are best known for being wearable. In a time when other designers were designing clothes which were known more for being a work of art, Blass was designing clothing which even everyday women could wear day or night. According to Ellin Saltzman in the New York Times, "He took American sportswear to its highest level…giving it a clean, modern, impeccable style… He, probably more than any designer knew his customer and understood her."
The Bill Blass Edition Continental Mark series
Beginning in 1976, and continuing until 1992, Blass lent his talents to the Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
for an exclusive edition of their Continental
Lincoln Mark series
The Continental Mark II was a personal luxury car produced by a newly formed Continental Division of the Ford Motor Company for only two model years: 1956 and 1957....
Mark series of automobiles. In 1976 he shared model configurations with Emilio Pucci
Emilio Pucci
Emilio Pucci, Marquis of Barsento , was a Florentine Italian fashion designer and politician. He and his eponymous company are synonymous with geometric prints in a kaleidoscope of colours.-Early life:...
, Hubert de Givenchy
Hubert de Givenchy
Count Hubert James Marcel Taffin de Givenchy is a French aristocrat and fashion designer who founded The House of Givenchy in 1952. He is famous for having designed much of the personal and professional wardrobe of Audrey Hepburn, as well as clothing for clients such as Jacqueline Kennedy...
, and Cartier
Cartier SA
Cartier S.A., commonly known as Cartier , is a French luxury jeweler and watch manufacturer. The corporation carries the name of the Cartier family of jewellers whose control ended in 1964 and who were known for numerous pieces including the "Bestiary" , the diamond necklace created for Bhupinder...
. Each year, as goes true fashion, the interior and exterior color combinations would be updated. One of the most popular was the 1979 edition honoring a nautical theme, as did the Blass logo of the time. Small anchors were incorporated into the exterior accent striping and interior accents within the Blass back-to-back "B" design theme. A truly unique feature of this model, and the 1980 through 1983 Mark series Blass models, was a "carriage roof" giving a convertible top look to the cars. After 1983, the Blass edition became just a unique color option with rear quarter window model designations and a few features that were options on the standard model.
Tyler Rose was assistant designer for William Blass.
Retirement and death
In 1999 Blass sold Bill Blass Limited for $50 million to Michael GrovemanMichael Groveman
Since 1990 Michael Groveman has served as the CEO of Bill Blass limited, Before coming to Bill Blass Groveman was a manager in the accounting firm of Ferro, Berdon and Company in New York he also has a B.A. in accounting from Long Island University C.W. Post. Groveman sold Bill Blass to NexCen...
and retired to his home in New Preston, Connecticut
New Preston, Connecticut
New Preston is a rural village in the northwestern corner of the town of Washington in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The village is also at the center of New Preston CDP, a census-designated place , whose population was 1,110 at the 2000 census.-Geography:According to the United...
. Blass was diagnosed with oral/tongue cancer in 2000, not long after he began writing his memoir. His cancer later morphed into throat cancer, resulting in Blass's death in 2002. He died ten days before his 80th birthday and six days after completing his memoir, "Bare Blass".
Blass collected art and was a connoisseur of antiquities
Antiquities
Antiquities, nearly always used in the plural in this sense, is a term for objects from Antiquity, especially the civilizations of the Mediterranean: the Classical antiquity of Greece and Rome, Ancient Egypt and the other Ancient Near Eastern cultures...
and in his will bequeathed half of his $52 million estate, as well as several important ancient sculptures, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Metropolitan Museum of Art
The Metropolitan Museum of Art is a renowned art museum in New York City. Its permanent collection contains more than two million works, divided into nineteen curatorial departments. The main building, located on the eastern edge of Central Park along Manhattan's Museum Mile, is one of the...
.
Publications
- Dining in Manhattan Cookbook: A Collection of Gourmet Recipes for Complete Meals from Manhattan's Finest Restaurants, with Joan G. Hauser (1983)
- Bare Blass, edited by Cathy HorynCathy HorynCathy Horyn is an American fashion journalist, working as the fashion critic for The New York Times where she also keeps a highly noted and provocative blog called...
(2002)
External links
- Official website of Bill Blass LimitedBill Blass LimitedBill Blass Limited is a fashion house founded by American designer Bill Blass. It is known for its highly priced, beautifully cut womenswear, notable for its inventive combinations of patterns and textures...
. - Bill Blass Biography
- Sewing Patterns by Bill Blass