Donald Brooks - 1956

Did you guess correctly? Many of you were close, and many of you thought this was a modern image.   The photo was taken in 1956.  The dress is by Donald Brooks, the sandals by Bernardo. The sleeves are likely full or 3/4 length and have been rolled to the elbow.  The addition of a wide sash instead of the self fabric belt that probably came with the dress is another stylish touch. I chose this photo to show that if you wear vintage, you can still look very modern. 

Before he started his own company, Donald Brooks started his career working for the junior sportswear company Darbury.  This classic cotton check shirt dress by Brooks for Darbury is very different from what he would later design for his own label.  He was likely working within the guidelines of what Darbury wanted for its customers and this was very early in his career.  But the dress is so classic that it could have been made last month and still look in-style and of-the-moment.  Do you have a classic shirtwaist dress in your closet?  Do you wear it over and over?  If not, perhaps you should consider it!

Photo by Francesco Scavullo for Harper's Bazaar, 1956.

Donald Brooks for Sinclair - 1970

Sinclair Mills was a swimsuit manufacturer.  Over the years, they contracted with several big name designers to produce lines of swimwear.  In the early 60s, Tom Brigance worked for them.  Donald Brooks produced designs for Sinclair in the late 1960s and early 70s, and Giorgio Sant'Angelo followed him starting in 1975.

This bikini with matching maxi skirt was designed by Donald Brooks for Sinclair in 1970.  The halter top has very long strings that tie at the back of the neck and then wrap around and around, however you choose.  The maxi skirt can be worn at the waist, the hips, or even over the shoulders when you've had enough sun.  All in black nylon.  Sold for $95 in 1970 (about $571 in today's dollar.)

Photo by Bergstrom for Vogue, 1970.
Model, Lynn Sutherland

Donald Brooks Coat, 1967

Navy and white wide stripes, criss-crossed in Mod perfection fashion this Donald Brooks coat from 1967.   I love, love, love this. 

1973 Donald Brooks Coat and 1966 Vintage Furs

File this under "Lightening Strikes Twice". On Friday, I told you how rare it is to find a vintage advertisement that matches an item I am selling. Later that day, I received an email from my colleague Anthony Argo over at Frockology.com with a picture of a Lord & Taylor ad from the March 1973 issue of Vogue magazine. It showed a Donald Brooks coat with a print of peas in pods cleverly called "The Pea Coat". The coat sold for $250 in 1973 (about $1200 in today's dollar).

Vogue Magazine, March 1973

Oh look! I have the same coat for sale at my website! This Donald Brooks coat is such fun and is sure to bring a smile to everyone on those rainy and gloomy days. Thank you for sending a photo of the ad, Anthony!

In other news, it snowed here in Boston last night. In case you are new to this blog, I want you to know that I hate snow. I hate cold. I hate winter. But I love Boston, so here I stay. Now, we've had early snow before, but October 18th snow? That's pushing it. It's all gone this morning, and the temps are headed back up today, but in honor of the coming winter winds, here are some vintage fur coats from 1966.

I've told you about Emeric Partos, Bergdorf Goodman's custom furrier before. This full length evening coat of Russian Crown sable is worn over gold lamé harem pajamas, both by Partos.

Also by Emeric Partos, an Empress chinchilla fur cape. Love the metallic boots!

Christian Dior combines Jasmine white Emba mink with Lutetia gunmetal grey Emba mink, tied with a mink sash at the waist.

Maximilian uses Emba mink in tourmaline for this gorgeous coat with horizontal pelts.

Donald Brooks - Fashion Innovator

The following photos were taken in Tunis in 1967 and appeared as part of a several page advertisement introducing the Kodak Instamatic Camera. All fashions are by Donald Brooks.

Donald Brooks began his design career in the mid 1950's working for a junior sportswear line called Darbury. Darbury was a relatively inexpensive line, but Brooks made the clothing look great by using unexpected fabrics for his designs. In 1959, Brooks moved to Townley, where he replaced the late Claire McCardell, and was able to use more expensive fabrics to design elegant clothing for daytime and luxurious fashions for evening.

After winning two Coty awards, Brooks opened his own company in 1965. With his own label, Brooks' signature look started to appear. He loved to use bold patterns and striking color combinations. He continued to be a style innovator and won another Coty award in 1970.

Brooks closed his business in 1973, but he continued to design with various licensing agreements, including loungewear for Maidenform. By the 1980's, Brooks produced custom garments, which he sold privately from his town house on East Seventieth Street in New York.

Through the years Brooks also designed costumes for the theatre, film, and television industries, for which he was nominated for several awards.

Brooks was cited by the New York Times as one of “the three B’s of fashion” alongside Geoffrey Beene and Bill Blass. He was one of Jackie Kennedy’s favorite designers.

Couture Allure is pleased to offer this iconic graphic print coat by Donald Brooks from the late 1960's.

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1974 Donald Brooks Evening Pajamas

Donald Brooks began his design career in the mid 1950's working for a junior sportswear line called Darbury. Darbury was a relatively inexpensive line, but Brooks made the clothing look great by using unexpected fabrics for his designs. In 1959, Brooks moved to Townley, where he replaced the late Claire McCardell, and was able to use more expensive fabrics to design elegant clothing for daytime and luxurious fashions for evening.

After winning two Coty awards, Brooks opened his own company in 1965. With his own label, Brooks' signature look started to appear. He loved to use bold patterns and striking color combinations. He continued to be a style innovator and won another Coty award in 1970.

Brooks closed his business in 1973, but he continued to design with various licensing agreements, including loungewear for Maidenform. By the 1980's, Brooks produced custom garments, which he sold privately from his town house on East Seventieth Street in New York.

Through the years Brooks also designed costumes for the theatre, film, and television industries, for which he was nominated for several awards.

The evening pajama set shown above was pictured in the November 1974 issue of Harper's Bazaar, and is one of Donald Brooks' licensed designs for Maidenform. Consisting of a tunic and pants with some of the widest bell hems you'll ever see, this set was made from a tiger print jersey woven with metallic threads. The set retailed for $200 (about $875 today), and was sold at Altman's, Marshall Field, and I. Magnin.

The model wears a wide cuff bracelet and glitzy sandals.