Brooks, Donald, 1928- (1928-2005)
Dates
- Existence: 1928-2005
Biography
Donald Brooks was born Donald Marc Blumberg on January 9, 1928. He grew up in Manhattan and studied fine arts at Syracuse College, aspiring to be a scenic designer for the theater. Brooks began studying at Yale but transferred first to FIT and then Parsons when it became clear he was more suited to costume design. After graduating from Parsons in 1950, Brooks designed window displays for Lord & Taylor. He soon was asked by store president Dorothy Shaver to design a collection for Lord & Taylor. In 1958, Townley Frocks hired him to design a sportswear collection. Seven years later, in 1965, Brooks launched his own collection, with the help of Ben Shaw. In 1963 Brooks was honored with a Coty award. In addition to his work in fashion, Brooks was a celebrated costume designer, being nominated for numerous awards including Oscars, Tonys, and Emmys. He won an Emmy for his work on the T.V. movie "The Letter." Donald Brooks passed away on August 3, 2005.