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Anne Klein
Born in Brooklyn, New York, in 1921, Hannah Golofski, today known as Anne Klein, studied at 'Girls Commercial High School' and
won herself a scholarship to the Traphagen School of Fashion. In 1936, when she was 15, she began working as a sketcher
on New York's 7th Avenue. She then changed her name to Anne Klein.
In 1939, she married her first husband Ben Klein and joined Varden Petites where she was responsible for their junior lines. Nine
years later, she formed her own company called Junior Sophisticates and made several designs for young women. In 1968, she formed
Anne Klein and Co in partnership with her second husband Matthew (Chip) Rubinstein.
Anne soon became one of the most popular sportswear designers in the USA, best known for her matching dresses and jackets, wasp-waisted
dresses, blazers and battle jackets. She also made hooded blouson tops and slinky jersey dresses. Her clothes were known to be smart, practical
and very fashionable.
Harpers Bazaar Magazine once reviewed her as "one of the few people who really understands what the American woman wants and
has the sense of style to be able to produce it."
In addition to fashion design, Anne Klein was inspired for several devices which contributed to the clothing industry. In
1967 she patented a girdle designed specially for mini-skirt wearers. Anne Klein was also named to the Coty Fashion Hall of Fame in 1971 having
won two previous Coty awards. She was the only designer to twice win the Neiman Marcus award for fashion leadership, in 1959 and 1969.
Along with Bill Blass, Stephen Burrows, Halston and Oscar de la Renta, Anne Klein decided to join a special fashion show at Versailles in France
in 1973, in order to help raise funds for the palace. French designers Yves St. Laurent, Cardin, Dior, Givenchy and Ungaro also took part in the
event.
She died in 1974 at the young age of 51. At the time of her death, Donna Karan and Louis Dell'Olio were known to have been working at her firm,
and they took over the design side of her company. They also won several Coty awards whilst working at Anne Klein.
Many designers have worked for the house of Anne Klein. Richard Tyler was there, Patrick Robinson also designed from 1994 to 1996. Charles Nolan
was the designer for Anne Klein for several seasons up until 2003. He was a 20 year veteran of the fashion industry, including many years of
work with Bill Blass.
In the year 2001, the city of New York decided to honour American fashion designers by placing bronze plaques along 7th Avenue, the great street
of fashion in New York. This has been called the "FASHION WALK OF FAME." Anne Klein was one of those honoured.
Find fashion by Anne Klein @ the following eshops:
 
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