Payne, Elizabeth (1917-1997)

Dates

• Existence: 1917-1997

Biography

"The history of American ready-to-wear (RTW) is filled with unknown fashion designers who worked "behind the scenes" for manufacturers. This was especially true in the mid-20th century between the advent of manufactured women's clothing and the rise of the celebrity fashion designer. In downtown department stores and boutiques all over the country, consumers purchased moderately-price styles created by names that never appeared on a label. One of these was Elizabeth "Libby" Miller Payne (1917-1997), a prolific designer whose career spanned fifty years in the New York ready-to-wear industry.

Libby Payne designed hundreds of garments for "Mrs. Main Street America" under well-recognized moderate price-point labels such as Bobbie Brooks, Jonathan Logan, Beau Baker, David Warren, and John Henry. Libby's designs "sold like hotcakes." One of Libby's most successful, Bobbie Brooks Style #862, sold 100,000 in its first two months on the market."

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