Sylvia Pedlar | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 1, 1900 New York |
| Died | February 26, 1972 (aged 71) New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Label | Iris Lingerie |
| Awards | Coty Award (1951; 1964), Neiman Marcus Fashion Award (1960). [1] |
Sylvia Pedlar (1900–1972) was an American fashion designer specialising in lingerie. [1] She is the only designer to have won the Special Coty Award more than once, in 1951 and 1964. [1]
Born Sylvia Schlang in 1900 in New York, she was an art student at Cooper Union and the Art Students League of New York before marrying William A. Pedlar. [1] In 1929 she launched her own business, Iris Lingerie, which she headed through to its closure in 1970. [1]
For her success Pedlar relied on the high quality of her product rather than employing salesmen or purchasing advertising. [2] She is credited with creating super-short babydoll nighties in the early 1940s as a response to fabric shortages during World War II, although she hated the term "baby doll" and refused to use it. [3] One of her most famous innovations was the easily removable toga-inspired négligée specially designed for women who slept in the nude. [3] She used the toga theme throughout her career, [4] with one négligée prominently featured in 1962 by both Life and Harper's Bazaar. [3] [5] She also reworked Victorian styles such as the traditional modest flannel Mother Hubbard nightgown, which she produced in sheer flowing cotton, [3] and reproduced nineteenth-century whitework embroidery by machine to such a high standard that her work rivalled luxurious handmade French lingerie. [6] Examples of Pedlar lingerie are held by the Costume Institute, [4] [5] [6] and archival material dating from 1946-1967 is held by the Fashion Institute of Technology. [1]
Pedlar died in New York on the February 26, 1972. [1]
- ^ a b c d e f g "Sylvia Pedlar collection, 1946-1967". ArchiveGrid. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ Bender, Marylin (17 December 1963). "Lingerie Can Be Sensibly Elegant". The New York Times. ( Cited by Blausen.)
- ^ a b c d Blausen, Whitney. "Sylvia Pedlar". Fashion Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ a b Staff writer. "Printed nightgown by Sylvia Pedlar, 1955". The Collection Online. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ a b Staff writer. "Negligée by Sylvia Pedlar, 1962". The Collection Online. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ a b Staff writer. "Nightgown and bedjacket by Sylvia Pedlar, 1955". The Collection Online. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
Sylvia Pedlar | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 1, 1900 New York |
| Died | February 26, 1972 (aged 71) New York |
| Nationality | American |
| Label | Iris Lingerie |
| Awards | Coty Award (1951; 1964), Neiman Marcus Fashion Award (1960). [1] |
Sylvia Pedlar (1900–1972) was an American fashion designer specialising in lingerie. [1] She is the only designer to have won the Special Coty Award more than once, in 1951 and 1964. [1]
Born Sylvia Schlang in 1900 in New York, she was an art student at Cooper Union and the Art Students League of New York before marrying William A. Pedlar. [1] In 1929 she launched her own business, Iris Lingerie, which she headed through to its closure in 1970. [1]
For her success Pedlar relied on the high quality of her product rather than employing salesmen or purchasing advertising. [2] She is credited with creating super-short babydoll nighties in the early 1940s as a response to fabric shortages during World War II, although she hated the term "baby doll" and refused to use it. [3] One of her most famous innovations was the easily removable toga-inspired négligée specially designed for women who slept in the nude. [3] She used the toga theme throughout her career, [4] with one négligée prominently featured in 1962 by both Life and Harper's Bazaar. [3] [5] She also reworked Victorian styles such as the traditional modest flannel Mother Hubbard nightgown, which she produced in sheer flowing cotton, [3] and reproduced nineteenth-century whitework embroidery by machine to such a high standard that her work rivalled luxurious handmade French lingerie. [6] Examples of Pedlar lingerie are held by the Costume Institute, [4] [5] [6] and archival material dating from 1946-1967 is held by the Fashion Institute of Technology. [1]
Pedlar died in New York on the February 26, 1972. [1]
- ^ a b c d e f g "Sylvia Pedlar collection, 1946-1967". ArchiveGrid. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ Bender, Marylin (17 December 1963). "Lingerie Can Be Sensibly Elegant". The New York Times. ( Cited by Blausen.)
- ^ a b c d Blausen, Whitney. "Sylvia Pedlar". Fashion Encyclopaedia. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ a b Staff writer. "Printed nightgown by Sylvia Pedlar, 1955". The Collection Online. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ a b Staff writer. "Negligée by Sylvia Pedlar, 1962". The Collection Online. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Retrieved 2 June 2015.
- ^ a b Staff writer. "Nightgown and bedjacket by Sylvia Pedlar, 1955". The Collection Online. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Retrieved 2 June 2015.