Ellis, Estelle (1919-2012)

Person

Dates

Existence: 1919-2012

Biography

Estelle Ellis was born on November 12, 1919 in Brooklyn, New York. After graduating from Hunter College in 1940, with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a minor in Journalism, Ellis began a career in publishing. Ellis was crucial in the founding of Seventeen magazine in 1943, assisting Helen Valentine with design and advertising for the magazine. In 1958, Ellis founded Business Image, Incorporated, a creative marketing firm that stressed the importance of market and product positioning. Her company worked primarily with Condé Nast publications but other businesses, such as Yves Saint-Laurent Fragrances, Evan-Picone, AT&T, and Scoville, hired Business Image as well.

Beginning in the mid-1960s, Ellis began working with the Fashion Institute of Technology, creating programs and fundraising campaigns to help with financial support. During the 1990s, Ellis focused on writing, co-authoring At Home with Books: How Booklovers Live With and Care for Their Libraries (1995), At Home with Art: How Art Lovers Live With and Care for Their Treasures (1999), and The Booklover's Repair Kit: First Aid for Home Libraries (2000). Estelle Ellis passed away on July 12, 2012.

General Context

The Estelle Ellis Collection at the Smithsonian Institution: https://sova.si.edu/record/NMAH.AC.0423

Found in 2 Collections and/or Records:

Liz Claiborne interview, 1986 May, 1986 May

Item

Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.1.11

Scope and Contents In this interview Liz Claiborne sat down with Estelle Ellis to discuss all aspects of Liz Claiborne Inc. Aware that her label represents a promise between her brand and the customer, Claiborne insists on being a part of every aspect of the design process for each label, from the initial color choices (which Claiborne stresses as being of paramount importance) to the final sample edits. Claiborne reveals the difficulties she faces when working with the menswear and childrenswear departments....

Dates: 1986 May

Found in: Special Collections and FIT Archive / Academic Affairs records / Gladys Marcus Library records / Special Collections and FIT Archive / FIT oral histories collection / Oral History Project of the Fashion Industries

Liz Claiborne interview, 1990 July 10 and 17, 1990 July 10 and 17

Item

Identifier: SC.FITA.3.20.4.9.1.12

Scope and Contents

This interview with Liz Claiborne discusses her experiences as she worked her way up as a designer. She describes her past work with designers and firms such as Ben Reig, Omar Kiam, Dave Schwartz, Juniorite, and the Rhea manufacturing company. Claiborne provides insight to the growth of her own company and all of the factors that go into the production of it.

Dates: 1990 July 10 and 17

Filtered By

Subject: Fashion designers X