Blass, Bill (1922-2002)
Dates
- Existence: 1922-2002
Biography
Bill Blass was born William Ralph Blass on June 22, 1922 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Blass attended Parsons School of Design at the age of 17. Roughly around the same time, Blass worked as a sketch artist for David Crystal, a Seventh Ave manufacturer. He served three years in the U.S. army during WWII. After the war, he returned to design, first working as an assistant with Anne Klein and ultimately finding work at Anna Miller and Co. in New York. Bill Blass became the head designer for Maurice Rentner in 1959, LTD, after the firm merged with Anna Miller and Co. 11 years later, Blass became sole owner of Rentner and renamed the company after himself. By this time, Blass had already won acclaim in the fashion industry, winning a Coty award in 1968 for his menswear designs. Bill Blass would go on to win two more Coty Awards, the Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987 and the Humanitarian Leadership Award in 1996. From 1979 to 1981, Blass served as the honorary president for the Council of Fashion Designers of America. Bill Blass sold his business in 1999 for a rumoured $50 million. Bill Blass passed away at the age of 79 in 2002.
Found in 248 Collections and/or Records:
Commencement programs, June 3, 1983-May 31, 1985, 1983 June 3-1985 May 31
December 2-3, 1989, 1989
This folder contains a column and 10 8x10 black and white photographs of designs from Bill Blass' Spring 1990 Collection
December 3-4, 1988, 1988
This folder contains 10 8x10 black and white photographs of designs by Oscar De La Renta, Bill Blass
December 8-9, 1990, 1990
This folder contains a column containing a Q&A with fashion designers Adrienne Vittadini, Christian Lacroix, Anouska Hempel, Bill Blass, Anne Cole, Givenchy, Veronica Hearst, Nelly Hernandez, Carolyne Roehm, Marc Bohan and Beatrice Guthrie and correspondence pertaining to this fashion poll.
December 10-11, 1988, 1988
This folder contains 13 8x10 black and white photographs of designs by Oscar De La Renta, Bill Blass
December 11-12, 1993, 1993
December 13-14, 1997, 1997
This folder contains a column on fabrics and black and white photos of ensembles by Bill Blass and Carolina Herrera and 8x10" negatives.
December 20-21, 1997, 1997
This folder contains a column on a Versace at the Costume Institute and black and white photos of ensembles by Bill Blass, Isabel Toledo and Badgley Mischka.
December 24-25, 1994, 1994
This folder contains a column with Q&A with designers on the spirit of the age and black and white photos of ensembles by Donna Karan, Richard Tyler for Anne Klein, Han Feng, Isaac Mizrahi, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Yves Saint Laurent, Ralph Lauren, Issey Miyake and Mary McFadden, some with press releases attached and one color photo of a dress by Bill Blass.
December 28-29, 1996, 1996
This folder contains a column on a Q&A with fashion designers on 1997 fashion and black and white photocopies of portraits of Bill Blass, Carolina Herrera and Fernando Sanchez.