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:
BB [Bill Blass] Misc Photos 1998, 1998
This folder contains five different 8x10 black and white portraits of Bill Blass, some with multiple copies, and one 8x10 negative.
BB [Bill Blass] Negatives Fall 1997, 1997
This folder contains five black and white 8x10 photographs (3 looks) and five negatives.
BB [Bill Blass] Negatives & Photos, Press Kit, Spring 1998, November 6, 1997, 1997
BB [Bill Blass] New York August 30, 1999, 1999
This folder contains a clipping of an article about Bill Blass from the August 30, 1999 issue of New York magazine.
BB [Bill Blass] New York Magazine April 20, 1999, 1998
This folder contains clippings and a photocopy of a Bill Blass design featured in the April 20, 1998 issue of New York magazine.
BB [Bill Blass] New York November 1 1999, 1999
This folder contains a clipping of an article reviewing the Spring 2000 collections, including a Bill Blass striped dress, from the November 1, 1999 issue of New York magazine
BB [Bill Blass] New York October 11, 1999, 1999
This folder contains a clipping from the October 11, 1999 issue of New York magazine featuring an article about Bill Blass's drawing room.
BB [Bill Blass] New York Post February 1, 2000, 2000
This folder contains a clipping from the February 1, 2000 issue of the New York Post that features the announcement that Bill Blass's new owners will be picking a top designer for the company.
BB [Bill Blass] New York Times February 21, 1999, 1999
This folder contains 2 clippings featuring a society photograph of Bill Blass from the New York Times, February 21, 1999.
BB [Bill Blass] New Yorker Magazine December 20, 1993, 1993-1994
This folder contains one issue of the December 20, 1993 issues of The New Yorker and one April/May 1994 issues of the New York Public Library News.