Bill Blass Vintage Quilted Silk Pink Polka Dot Jacket + Skirt Dress Suit
About the Item
- Designer:
- Style:90s (Of the Period)
- Place of Origin:United States
- Period:
- Condition:
- Seller Location:Sparks, NV
- Reference Number:
Bill Blass
Venerated designer and philanthropist Bill Blass helped define style for women of means during the late 20th century and inspired generations of fashion industry professionals and enthusiasts all over the world.
Blass designed garments that saw a playful mingling of notes both subdued and bold, and his clothes were comfortable, easy to wear and sexy. The Indiana native was influenced by the likes of Coco Chanel and became famous for refined, simple looks that appealed to prominent women such as Brooke Astor and Gloria Vanderbilt.
Blass didn’t endeavor to produce showstoppers — he worked with quality materials, and his modern designs boasted meticulous tailoring. He glamourized sportswear with chic lines and dramatic colors, and by way of subtle, graceful ruffles or a tasteful application of sequins, he introduced modest flair to his day dresses and evening dresses. Vintage Bill Blass clothing is just as relevant today as it was during the height of his career.
Blass, who spent his spare time sketching red-carpet looks in his school notebooks as a kid, left home at 17 and moved to New York City, where he trained at the McDowell School of Fashion. After finishing design school, he joined the U.S. Army and fought in World War II. When the war was over, Blass returned to Manhattan. In 1946 he joined the fashion house Anna Miller and Co., where he worked as a design assistant for Anna Miller and her brother Maurice Rentner.
Anna Miller and Co. merged with Maurice Rentner, Ltd. in 1959, and Blass became the company's head designer. There he quickly built a name for himself and was soon a staple of the postwar fashion scene, impressing even the fashion editor of Harper's Bazaar at the time, Diana Vreeland. Blass expanded into designing menswear and was the first couture designer in America to create a collection for men.
In 1970, Blass gained ownership of Rentner and renamed the company after himself. Blass employed a licensing-based business strategy, and soon his name marked a full array of accessories and apparel, including Bill Blass jeans, watches, home furnishings, eyewear and luggage. Blass's renown and success expanded considerably, as fashion bearing his name became more accessible than it had ever been.
Throughout his life, Blass made considerable contributions to the AIDS care center at Cornell Medical Center and to the New York Public Library. In 1962, he became a founding member of the Council of Fashion Designs of America (CFDA) trade association, which promotes American designers around the world. The CFDA presented Blass with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 1987, and he was the first recipient of their Humanitarian Leadership Award in 1996.
Find vintage Bill Blass fashion on 1stDibs.
- ShippingRetrieving quote...Ships From: Sparks, NV
- Return PolicyThis item cannot be returned.
- Christian Dior Vintage 1960s 60s Red-Orange Skirt + Jacket + Top 3-Piece Suit SetBy Christian Dior, Saks Fifth AvenueLocated in Sparks, NVStunning red-orange woven 3-piece suit set by Christian Dior for Saks Fifth Avenue circa 1960's. The three pieces can be worn together or separately and are all perfectly tailored. ...Category
1960s Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
- Bill Blass Unworn Deadstock Vintage Wool Jacket + Skirt SuitBy Bill BlassLocated in Sparks, NVBrown wool tailored skirt suit with the original tags still attached! By Bill Blass. Details: Fully Lined Shoulder Pads Sewn Into Lining Button Closure on Jacket/ Side Zip an...Category
Late 20th Century Suits, Outfits and Ensembles
- Vintage 1950s 50s Navy Wool & Silk Skirt Suit 3-Piece EnsembleLocated in Sparks, NVGorgeous 3-piece 1950s suit includes a jacket, skirt and matching belt. Chic and tailored with rounded notched lapels. Partially Lined Front Pockets Matching Belt Front Button ...Category
1950s Skirt Suits
- 1980s Bernard Perris Vintage Wool/ Cashmere Jacket + Skirt Suit EnsembleBy Bernard PerrisLocated in Sparks, NVGorgeous vintage Bernard Perris skirt suit in a coral red and pale celery green plaid. Fabric feels like a cashmere/ wool blend. Fully lined with front zip closure on jacket and rear...Category
1980s French Skirt Suits
- Spectacular Irene Lentz Vintage 1940s 40s Gray Wool Blazer JacketBy Irene, Irene LentzLocated in Sparks, NVAbsolutely spectacular Irene Lentz vintage jacket from the 1940s. Pristine couture tailoring with buttons that get smaller towards the middle of the jacket. Darling yellow lining. A ...Category
1940s American Blazers
- Michael Casey Couture Vintage Sculptural 3-Piece Skirt Suit EnsembleBy Michael CaseyLocated in Sparks, NVPhenomenal 3-piece skirt suit by Michael Casey. This ensemble features a cropped bolero jacket, a sculptural peplum bodice with decorative buttons up the front, and a pencil skirt th...Category
1980s American Skirt Suits
- Avant Garde 1990s Krizia Metallic Asymmetrical Vintage 90s Silk Skirt SuitBy KriziaLocated in San Diego, CAAvant Garde early 90s KRIZIA asymmetrical silk skirt suit ! Features warm hues of hunter green, brown, tan and ivory throughout. Asymmetrical hem on the jacket and each collar. Singl...Category
1990s Italian Skirt Suits
- Norman Norell 1960s Size 12 Tan / Camel 60s Vintage Blazer Jacket + Skirt SuitBy Norman NorellLocated in San Diego, CASuch a classic skirt and jacket suit set by NORMAN NORELL! This chic 60s ensemble is the perfect camel color, that will get you through all the months of the year. Haute Couture quality, with an amazing wool fabric! Chic brown buttons up the bodice of the jacket, with functional pockets at both breasts, and at both sides of the waist. High waisted pencil skirt, with flattering darts, and metal zipper, and button at waistband. Both pieces work fantastic together, or as separates! Fully lined. Approximately Size 12 Made in France Pictured vintage OSCAR DE LA RENTA hat...Category
1960s French Skirt Suits
- Dolce & Gabbana Gold Sequin Cropped Jacket and Pencil Skirt Suit SetBy Dolce & GabbanaLocated in San Francisco, CADolce & Gabbana gold sequin skirt suit featuring a slightly cropped jacket and pencil skirt with beige silk trim throughout and a grosgrain band a...Category
2010s Italian Cropped Jackets
- Alexander McQueen A/W 2005 "The Man Who Knew Too Much" Leopard Fur Jacket SkirtBy Alexander McQueenLocated in Thiensville, WIAlexander McQueen A/W 2005 "The Man Who Knew Too Much" Leopard Print Silk Jacket Pencil Skirt Set Brand / Manufacturer: Alexander McQueen Co...Category
Early 2000s Italian Skirt Suits
- Vintage Vicky Tiel Couture Leopard Cheetah Print Wool Velvet 1980s Skirt SuitBy Vicky TielLocated in San Diego, CAStylish vintage 80s VICKY TIEL COUTURE leopard print / cheetah wool and velvet tailored skirt suit! Terracotta colored soft virgin wool, with black silk velvet leopard print througho...Category
1980s French Skirt Suits
- S/S 2002 Yves Saint Laurent by Tom Ford Safari Cheetah Print Lace-Up Khaki SuitBy Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Tom Ford for Yves Saint LaurentLocated in West Hollywood, CAPresenting a gorgeous tan and cheetah print Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche skirt suit, designed by Tom Ford. From the Spring/Summer 2002 safari-inspired collection, this beautiful se...Category
Early 2000s French Skirt Suits