BILL BLASS
Name: Bill Blass
Born: 22 June 1922 Fort Wayne, Indiana
Died: 12 June 2002 New Preston, Connecticut
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).
Bill Blass, born William Ralph Blass in 1922, was the son of a dressmaker and a
traveling hardware salesman. His father committed suicide when Bill was five,
and afterwards Bill found refuge in the arts.
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 gowns 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 tanks, and other false materials. The US Camouflage Battalion
proved to be more successful than the European Camouflage Battalion.
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, furs, 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."
In 1999 Blass sold Bill Blass Limited for $50 million and retired to his home in
New Preston, Connecticut. Blass was diagnosed with oral/tongue cancer in 2000.
It later became throat cancer and caused Blass's 2002 death. Blass was a
connoisseur of antiquities, and his will bequeathed half his $52 million estate,
as well as several important ancient sculptures, to the Metropolitan Museum of
Art.
Name: Bill Blass
Born: 22 June 1922 Fort Wayne, Indiana
Died: 12 June 2002 New Preston, Connecticut
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).
Bill Blass, born William Ralph Blass in 1922, was the son of a dressmaker and a
traveling hardware salesman. His father committed suicide when Bill was five,
and afterwards Bill found refuge in the arts.
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 gowns 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 tanks, and other false materials. The US Camouflage Battalion
proved to be more successful than the European Camouflage Battalion.
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, furs, 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."
In 1999 Blass sold Bill Blass Limited for $50 million and retired to his home in
New Preston, Connecticut. Blass was diagnosed with oral/tongue cancer in 2000.
It later became throat cancer and caused Blass's 2002 death. Blass was a
connoisseur of antiquities, and his will bequeathed half his $52 million estate,
as well as several important ancient sculptures, to the Metropolitan Museum of
Art.