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 .