Details

A fine vintage 1960s Norman Norell belted two-piece. The caramel brown wool jersey top features a mock turtleneck and zips up the back. The black wool twill skirt is fully lined and zips/hooks back center. With original ivory leather belt intact. A rare and classic American couturier item appropriate for any collection.

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In Context

Norman Norell began creating costumes for Paramount Pictures' silent film stars and then moved into the theatre, designing for the Ziegfeld Follies among others. It was as head designer at Hattie Carnegie in the late 1920s that Norell learned about meticulous cut, fit, and quality fabrics and benefitted from trips to the global epicentre of couture, Paris. In 1941 he formed a company with Anthony Traina, creating ready-to-wear fashion inspired by French couture.

Norell's designs were lauded for their glamour, timelessness, and high-quality construction. He had the rare ability to combine the excellence in cut and detailing of Parisian couture with the wearability and glamour that appealed to American mid-century consumers. His practice of inspecting each garment individually and demanding meticulous finishing translated into both their longevity and price tags.

Norell founded the Council of Fashion Designers of America and was the first designer to launch a successful fragrance. Despite being relatively little known today, Norell's name is well renowned among vintage collectors and historians, with designs featuring in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Smithsonian.

Hand picked by Vintage Seekers