by Donna Klein The Corsage: Evolution from Body to Bodice to Bouquet What do you think of when you hear the word “corsage?” Most likely you think of a single flower or a small bouquet or nosegay that is usually worn near the shoulder of a woman's dress or on the lapel of [...]
by Donna Klein How Aniline Dyes Changed Fashion Thank a Scientist for Aniline Aniline was first isolated from indigo in 1826 by Otto Unverdorben. It was given its name in 1840 by Julius Fritzsche when he distilled indigo into an oil using caustic potash. But, it was a long way from being [...]
Lucy Grows into Lucile Lucy Christiana Sutherland was born in London in 1841. Her mother moved back to Ontario, Canada, after the death of her father. The family moved to the Isle of Jersey when her mother remarried. Lucy married James Stuart Wallace in 1884 and gave birth to a daughter, Esme, in 1885. The [...]
by Donna Klein Redfern - from John to Charles Three years before John Redfern's death in 1895, his sons took over the the company and changed the name to Redfern Ltd. This seamless transition allowed the fashion house to move forward, mostly through the creative thinking of his son, Charles Poynter Redfern (1853 [...]
by Donna Klein Doucet - a Name in Fashion for Three Generations Jacques Doucet may not be a household name anymore, but he was once one of the most prosperous and well-respected fashion designers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Doucet name had been associated with lingerie and fine linen in Paris [...]
by Donna Klein John Redfern, the Man Born in 1820, John Redfern, was the son of a tailor. His father opened a specialty clothing shop in Cowes, Isle-of-Wight, England, in 1811. John followed in his father's footsteps, opening up a draper's shop in Cowes in 1855. He was in the right place [...]
by Donna Klein At the beginning of World War I, women were still wearing hobble skirts, which allowed for very little freedom of movement. But, as women took to the workforce to fill the void of the men who were off fighting the war, it became evident that the style of the day was [...]
By Donna Klein Coco Chanel - setting trends A contemporary of Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel is also credited with freeing women from corsets, and the unnatural silhouette of the Victorian era. She was way ahead of the curve when it came to setting fashion trends in the 1910s and 1920s. Chanel came from [...]
by Donna Klein Celebrating the 60th Anniversary of My Fair Lady It's an exciting time for the Rogers City (Michigan) Community Theatre (RCCT). I've been involved with RCCT for more nine years as an actor, director, and techie. The Lerner and Loewe musical, My Fair Lady came up every year as the group [...]