The Theater World Buzzed with Various Theories for the Carnegie-Norell Split, but the Most Widespread Explanation Was That She H

A Fashionable Man The theater world buzzed with various For decades, Norell was known to make “Norman’s clothes are not just dramatic theories for the Carnegie-Norell split, impromptu, unpublicized visits to help fads,” Bacall told the press. “His marvel but the most widespread explanation was Parsons students with their work. ous cut and use of fabrics make his things that she had blown up because Norell’s As his successes mounted, Norell, who the most comfortable I’ve ever worn.” By creations were too extravagant to repro never married, moved into a posh Man the mid-1960s, Norell’s roster of celebrity duce for their other clients. (An alternative hattan apartment decorated with French clients ranged from Lady Bird Johnson to theory is that Lawrence preferred Norell’s furniture as well as Chinese jade and Judy Garland, Carol Channing, and Di designs over those submitted by Carnegie, antiques. His life was not all penthouses nah Shore. He also occasionally accepted infuriating her.) and caviar, though. Determined to assist assignments for movies; for example, he Fortunately, Norell had such an the war effort, Norell, who by then was in created three outfits for Doris Day in That esteemed reputation among industry his forties, put in long hours as a volunteer Touch o f Mink (1962), including a beige insiders (although not yet the general at New York’s hospitals. He helped treat raincoat with a black leather collar and public) that he quickly landed another job. wounded soldiers, undertaking even the buttons. He joined forces with Anthony Traina, most low-level tasks such as emptying Amid the glamour, Norell’s low-key a manufacturer of expensive clothes for bedpans. During those weekend shifts, he personality never changed, his friends and women. “He offered me a larger salary if invited his nephew Alan Levinson, who family members said. “He’d always say, my name were not used, a smaller amount then was in the navy, to use his Manhat ‘Would you please?’ or ‘Do you mind?’ if it was,” Norell said. After years of being tan apartment with his fellow servicemen or ‘What do you think?’, and everybody overshadowed by Carnegie, Norell chose when they were on leaves. “I didn’t see would knock themselves out for him the more visibility/less pay option. The him much because he really did work long because he was so kind to us,” Denise result, according to American Fashion, was hours at the hospitals,” Alan Levinson re Linden, Norell’s head model and chief a “fashion explosion.” With Traina han called. “He didn’t talk about his volunteer organizer, told the fashion press. “I never dling the business aspects and Norell the work very much—he just did it.” saw him angry at his work.” Modest and designs, the Traina-Norell collections be Norell had legions of devoted, wealthy self-effacing, Norell typically ate lunch at came, as the New York Times put it, “a new clients across the country. Blass, who ar a Hamburger Heaven outlet and seldom status symbol among American women.” rived in New York after graduating from socialized with his famous clients. After Norell introduced the chemise South Side High School in Fort Wayne in With Traina’s retirement in I960 and (a sensation because it solved challenges 1939, was mentored by his fellow Hoosier. subsequent death, the prestigious design created by World War Us restrictions He recalled that Norell would make trips firm was renamed Norman Norell Inc. on fabrics), the sequined sheath, and the to the Midwest merely to show and sell Norell’s business consisted of a main office fur trench coat, Traina-Norell became a dresses to one or two clients, who willingly on Seventh Avenue and a factory in lower fashion byword, equaling the prestige long paid $1,000 per creation in the late 1940s. Manhattan that employed 150 workers. enjoyed by Parisian labels. Some of the During this period, Norell also kept up his As the owner of 51 percent of the stock, new international prestige was the result trips to Indianapolis, primarily to visit his Norell enjoyed great freedom in running of timing. The New York Times noted, widowed mother, who then was living in his operation. He created a sensation in “The American fashion industry, long a suite at the Spink Arms Hotel. He also June 1960 with his first showing on his dependent on Paris for ideas, was cut off traveled to Paris to buy fabric. Although own; Norell’s models were made up, as the from its source by World War II.” Soaring Norell turned down an offer from Colum New York Times described it, “in dead- to prominence, Norell became the very bia Pictures head Harry Cohn to move white faces with flaming red mouths, and first recipient in 1943 of the American to Hollywood and design for the studio, their eyes were ringed with black circles Fashion Critics’ newly created award, the he began to create clothes on a private made by burnt cork.” (Norell did away industry’s equivalent of the Oscar (later basis for Bacall, Monroe, and other stars. with such theatrics in subsequent years, named the Coty Award). That same year, Norell accepted an offer to teach at New York’s prestigious Parsons School for Opposite: A model wears a rose-decked sheath topped by a fu ll chiffon skirt. The skirt on Design, with which he maintained a close this gorgeous gown by Norell spreads out from a twenty-two-inch waist to a forty-inch professional relationship until his death. circumference. 8 | TRACES | Spring 2008.

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