Sunday, April 20, 2014

The Influence Of Florence Eiseman Clothes

By Essie Osborn


This woman, who became one of the most influential designers of clothes for children, started at as a housewife. When Florence Eiseman became a mother, she taught herself to sew and began making clothes for her boys and other children living nearby. Her husband, Laurence was looking for a way to supplement their income and he saw her talent. He took some of her organdy pinafores to a buyer at Marshall Field and Company and returned home with a large order. This marked the birth of an impressive career.

Sewing up this first order was the responsibility of a team of housewives. Florence had control over the final product and had very high standards. Quality fabrics were used and many of the details were hand finished. Hand sewn embroidery was one of the features of these early items as well as hand sewn hems, French seams and bound buttonholes. Their efforts were so successful that after some years a move was made into a factory and it was not long before other designers had to be hired too.

Florence always kept control over the final designs to ensure that they expressed her brand. Her philosophy was that clothes should not outshine the natural beauty of a child but simply enhance it. She hated the idea of children being made to look like adults. She felt that clothing should suit the needs of the child and not follow the fads of adult fashion.

Her desire for children to feel comfortable in her clothing lead to an innovative approach. She introduced trapeze shapes and empire waistlines in her dresses, did away with tight waistbands and any flounces and ruffles. One piece clothing was created for toddlers as well as a range of knits that could be worn every day.

All the clothing was made to the highest standards, including wide hems and adjustable buttons that prolonged their life. Later, another hem was added by one of the designers. It could be released by pulling a string once the child had outgrown the current hem. Initially, there were worries that the clothing was too expensive but when people its quality and how long it lasted, they were more than willing to buy.

Her bright primary colors, simple clean lines and hand sewn embroidery soon caught the eye of the rich and famous. Celebrities like Princess Grace of Monaco began dressing Princess Caroline and Stephanie in her timeless and tasteful designs. Within ten years, she had become the first designer of clothes for children to receive the Nieman Marcus award, putting her in the company of other illustrious recipients like Coco Channel and Christian Dior.

The brand was expanded over the years to include swimsuit designs for women and a couture line harking back to the high quality garments produced in the early years. In the 1980s day-to-day involvement in the business became too much for Florence due to ill-health and head designer, Teri Shapiro was left in charge. She had worked long enough under her mentor to make sure that the brand stayed true to her vision.

Robert and Laurie, the sons of this formidable designer, had been involved in the business for many years before she died and took over the company when this happened. Today, online stores feature swimwear, dresses, coveralls and many other items produced by the company. Playful stripes and prints with appliques have not lost the classic look of this brand, while looking fresh and up-to-date at the same time.




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