Branell Dress and Sweater Sets - 1956

Clare Potter and Mainbocher are among the first designers credited with decorating sweaters to match dresses in their collections.  Here are two versions shown by Branell in 1956.  Branell was a high-end line of dresses, suits and coats designed in New York by Hilda Altmark.  Not inexpensive, the line was on par with other high-end labels, such as Originala, Harvey Berin and George Carmel.

The dress on the left is fashioned of pin-tucked fabric decorated with organza-filled cut-outs and beading on the skirt.  The sweater is decorated to match.  The dress on the right is lined lace with a matching lace decorated sweater.  Manufacturers would purchase sweaters from other makers to use as a base for decoration.  It is likely that the sweaters shown here are high quality cashmere, used to match the quality of the dresses.  I love both sets.  What about you?

1961 Branell Mink Trimmed Suit

My attempts to find information about the Branell label have turned up nothing except items for sale on the web. But isn't this suit from 1961 simply stunning? This ad appeared in the September 1961 issue of Vogue magazine.

The ad copy reads, "American Chic: circa 1961. Branell expresses it in a blend of Dacron polyester. Opulence! and purely American opulence - lean, limber, understated. Hilda Altmark of Branell, one of America's designing greats, finds new imagery for this look in Raefords' Dacron polyester, worsted wool and nylon, trimmed with dyed mink. Shapes it, here, in a blouson dress and eased jacket. Today, tomorrow, and tomorrow, this costume will have the same sure opulence, Because it blends wool and nylon with the enlightened chic of Dacron. About $350. At Best, & Co., New York; Joseph Magnin, Juklius Garfinckel, Gus Mayer, Montaldo's."

There are a few things we can talk about here. First of all, the list of stores that sold this suit includes some of the elite department stores across the country in 1961. At $350, this suit was quite an investment. The same suit would cost you about $2500 today. Certainly, Branell was an upscale brand worn by women with money to spend.

This ad shows the DuPont logo prominently in the lower right corner, and the headline states that the suit is made from a blend of Dacron polyester. "Dacron" was DuPont's registered trademark for its polyester fiber, which was introduced in the US in 1951. The polyester fibers would give added shape retention to the fabric, to help avoid the sagging and bagging that can happen over time with a natural fiber such as wool. The polyester would also help with resistance to moths.

The model is wearing a high crown pillbox hat by Mr. John, and white DuPont nylon gloves. The jacket is trimmed with black mink at the hem and has a mink wedding ring collar.


Get the look with this black wool suit trimmed in sheared beaver fur from another famous suit maker, Jack Feit. Available at our website. Click the picture to see the listing.