Looking Back at Mccardell: It's a Lot Like Looking at Todayi4
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58 L-f THE NEW YQRK TIMES, WEDNESDAY, MA\ Y 24,1972 — yamily /ood fashions' /iirntshirigs: Looking Back at McCardell: It's a Lot Like Looking at Todayi4 . By BERVADilME MORRIS The Paris fashion world has Chanel as its monument. New 1 ^Yorlc has_CJaire McCardehV "Both- women, though de ceased, have influenced the current casual mood of fash ion. Chanel invented the sweater, McCardell invented the American Look. » It was born in the Depres-' sion-ridden nineteen-thirties-, flourished during the war •yeara of the forties, felLoff at the end of the fifties (McCardell died in 1958), and all but disappeared, in the sixties, when_Paris regained^ center-stage" with swinging , London close behind. "Now that sportswear, the crux of the American Look, . has: become the dominant- • trend-on Seventh Avenue and other satellite fashion cen ters, the Fashion Institute of. Technology felt the time was -rightfor. a McCardell retro- • apettlve. • • • • • ' —• Tt.wasjhcld Monday night In the school's auditorium, 227. West 27th Street, fol lowed by a $125-a-person black tie supper dance in the lobby. Like a Premiere Seventh Avenue, which supports the state-run col lege, came out in droves. Stu dents lined up outside trie *"scTibo1"to cheer arrival fit tlie limousines carrying such per sonalities as Lynn Revson (whose- husband,' ChBrles, heads Revlon) in her sequin- sparkling red jacket over a black dress by Norman No- rel);—Beth Levine, the shoe designer, in her Halston caf tan, and Jerry Silverman, the., manufacturer, with Pauline Trigdre, in herTrigore. It had all the earmarks of a Hollywood premiere, way hack when. • ' ^Z^Slfi6rn-_retfospec"tIves. are a risky business. Paintings or Kasper, one of today's most ufacturer who started sculpture can gain from dis successful designers.' "Where Leslie Fay dress house in lose 25 pounds and take who were Important, like her work were on the stage: tance, but clothes, are, after the waistline is or where the 1921. lamented that -McCar them'all back." Adrian, but I always thought 'The monk's dress, which all, keyed closely to the time hemline is doesn't matter. dell had,come to hum for a Her husband is chairman they made clothes for my catapulted her—to—fame--in. - in which they" were worn. They're classic*.'-' job years ago, but he turned of the First Natio.nfll_.Bank mother—sho—made —Wothes- r'93»-"-j louse, bias •.•urtties ._Times_..change—and —so—-da- — flil'-fllass hrmrgrrrhis as - -her downjJipeuusB'grjTrwggEL-— "orMaryland. in.Baltimore. for m*.' fnrenmrier-of—the—ctremtSB figures. sistant to show theni what . ed.me to use hef name." -'•. v-^J Marjorie Oris wold, the Lord For her acceptance speech, that came 20 years later—that r But there were cheers in McCardell was all about, and Sister Eileen Farley ,of , ' & Taylor buyer who promot Mrs. Evans had the girls in the wearer belted in and side the auditorium as the )957 And h niRht beforei ed 'McCardell as well as Victor Joris said he felt like Elizabeth Seton College m shp ran ha,£ ^ g> her sample room make_a_yeK_ that fit c^e/vQne_1_1.;.T.hej?op-.. __ clothes appeared on -the burning his fall collection -such other innovators as low mohair cardigan that she over, a wraparound dress in Stage, and the tenor grew as Rudi Gernreich and Emilio and starting all over again. who manufactures Bonnie ciau-e. whanttU.named-after tossed over a dolman-sleeve the earlv forties, meant to the show went on. proving Pucci.-. wore—^iiu—aubargme vhlTc'sweator and long white serve the needs of '"Tie woman'- "She did what Chanel- did Cashm clothes, said she \fras ^ - . .the-basic concept: These are in her day mid it still has 1)[)lc chiffon McCardell from she pleated skirt. It was sports who had to cope Tor herself . styles .that can he worn to meaning for us." he said. Inspired. "She , used to send i her couldn't remember what year^ wear at niglu! »•-• - in the kitchen while her maid ' "I'm sick of the students toys,", said Mrs. Suslersic, day. / . It wasn't olily the design^ Clothes 'Quite Radical' Miss MeCardcH's range was went off to the defense ..^J "The clothes are so pure, ers who were enthralled. iri blue leans- telling me beaming. _Hgr' daughter, a plants . 'jersey dresses tied clothes aren't . important," tall blondeiike . her name- "Her clothes don't look so from beach clothes to eve they are timeless," explained Freddy Pomerantz, the man - ning things, in, all of which... around the waist with strings!— = she said. ~ sake, is now Mrs; philin revolutionary today, but-they - really wera quite radical." she avoided shiulder pads or and as noble-as-a toga.-~" ~ f Line-For-Line Copies " CHillenii. She is 26 years old: built-in bras. I Her "clothes But more, important than. •- ': - '"Sister- Fileen wore a-temg— - Phyllis,- MeCardelh—who-is she observed. "I'm so thrilled to be on wrapped and tied, flowed any of the individual;.style* .v..;.- red skirt with a white turtle- married to-Ctalreisshrother,. smoothly and never con was the attitude: clothes that* eck sweater toprHer order. 'Adrian*also turned'lipin a the same stage as Claire Mc Cardell." said. Lee Evans, the stricted. She was concerned are honest and free but never isters of. Charity,. does not • McCardell.. a: pink and taupe ' first with ' comfort; out of anarchic. If that concept .•ear habits. ' striped shirtwaist dress "circa designer for R & K, a division : - T of ..Jonathan "Logan I at C!>mg ^^- ^-^a Res---h^d.^tliere s*-hope--fdr„ ^ah»-.-- -BrefintrB<rw'vrr::^95^|^. ", .:"—=~z whtetr " * "^ :halks:up a volume of about - c'om- of. the-landmarks the fashion business: whose—fsrmrv—nwnr - 6hr= —- Sh^Tiad-supplted-a-num- SGO-milliort a year for dresses bach's. was -discussing with ber of the dresses - in vthe show from that are mostly in the $35 to rene Satz. his fashion dlrec-' her,_personal $50 range. Mrs. Evans re tor. the posslbllltv-of*maki~-s—^cchivM'""-'-" r" ceived the school's an- "me-for-line copies' of the " "I - always though' my mml alumnus award for IcCardell clothes. '• • ** daughter would- wear -them ... • . • , y—'sit*** nanwd Clair?., after : -i nr^-j x--* h—«JHiBC i I III IllllMllW »M Ht» y«» Itmn/tnwnt OuJui Mi U n MmUt lose 25 pounds and take who were important, like .her work were o*n the stage:* them all back." Adrian, but I always thought The monk's dress, which Her husband fs, chairman they made clothes for my catapulted -her—to- fame- in of the first Nation&L Book.—mothez—•sho—tnzti0~eiothe»—^}9^S'^Ht>uii: bla*j Cut tlri'ss;— Qf..Map'lard.-.inJ2altiraQre for meX—" -"forerunner of- the—chemise— Ma'rjorie Griswold, the Lord - For her acceptance speech,—that canf 20 years later—that '57. And the night before, & Taylor buyer who promot- Mrs. Evans had the girls in the wearer belted in- and ed McCardell as well as her sample room make a yel- that fit everyone. .;thejop-__ e ran up a halter:dress in such other innovators; as' tie Jersey for her daughter, low mohair cardigan that she over, a wraparoliTuPoVess m aire, who was- named after Rudi Gernreicli and Emilio tossed over a dolman-sleeve the earlv forties, meant to -PuccL,. worga==ajiJ==aubi;r>fiBc- white sweater and long white ""serve the needs of'tTie wocRan chiffo.n McCardell from she "She used to send' her pleated skirt, It war spcrts- who had to cope for herself vs," said Mrs. Sustersic, eouldn'tremember what year.. - wear St-niglu. -—— in the kitchen while her maid aming. Her daughter, a Clothes 'Quite Radical' Miss McCardcJI'JjjJMigi; was went off to the defense from beach clothes" to eve plants . , jersey dresses tied the II blonde like her name- "Her clothes don't look so y an- linii'li-ss, explained I ii-iM.* I'Dim-iantA tilt man- '-•:."• said. ke, _is_ now Mrs. Philip ning things, ir^. all of which around the waist with strings revolutionary today, but they and as noble -as-P toga. iillemi. She is 26 years old. really wer» quite radical," she avoided shoulder pads or Une-For-Linc Copies Bur more, important. than ; • Sister Eileen wore a long Phyllis McCardell, who is she'Bhserved. : built-in bras., I Her clothes irried-to Claire's brother, "I'm so-thrilled to be on wrapped and tied, • ffowed any of the individual, styles"™ red skirl with a whito turtle- smoothly ahd never Con was the attitude: clothes that' — reck sweater top. Her order. Irian, also turned up in a the same stage as Claire Mc Cardell,-a pink and taupe Cardell." said Lee Evans, the stricted. She' was concerned are honest and free but-never Sisters of Charity, does not first with " comfort; out of anarchic. If that concept wear habits. iped shirtwaist dress "circa- designer for U & K, a division -of-—Jonathan—togan- winch that tame jiiwto:—•""=~'=^=- t ftKw^oMr-tfterc V-fiope:. for— —-- }r>kt\— '• Brenmnfimever chalks.up"a volume of about —-whose -- family—-owns- Otrr-- • She had- supplied a- rtum- Some of "(Tie landmark's of the fashion- business. bach's , was discussing with r' of• the dresses in the SCO-million a year-for dresses Irene Satz, his fashion direc >w from' her personal that are mostly tn the $35 to tor, the possibility- of waking hives.*--—. -* • * S50 range. Mis. Evans ir- iine-for-lfne copies- 0/ the "I always thought my ceived the school's an-. McCardell clothes. .* *v lighter would wear them nual alumnus award for she's named .