The career of an influential designer of clothes for children began in the home of a housewife in Milwaukie. Florence Eiseman started sewing clothes for her boys and other neighborhood children. Her husband, seeing the potential of these items to bring in some extra money for the family, took some items to Marshall Field and Company. He returned with an impressive order from the buyer. This was the beginning of an important career for Florence.
She roped in women to sew up the first order in their own homes. She had firm control over the fabrics, designs and quality of the items. Hand sewn embroidery, hand stitched hems, French seams and bound buttonholes were some of the details she insisted upon. Their success meant that the business had to move after a few years. Eventually more designers had to be hired.
Florence always kept control over the final designs to ensure that they expressed her brand. Her philosophy was that clothes should not outshine the natural beauty of a child but simply enhance it. She hated the idea of children being made to look like adults. She felt that clothing should suit the needs of the child and not follow the fads of adult fashion.
Her desire to make children as comfortable as possible in her clothes meant doing away with the tight waistbands, ruffles and flounces popular at the time. Her empire waistlines and trapeze shapes as well as one piece clothing for toddlers were the first of their kind. Knits were also introduced at reasonable prices so they could be worn every day.
The clothing was known for its quality and how long it lasted. Adjustable buttons and deep hems helped to extend the life of items. Subsequently, one of the designers even introduced an added hem. A thread could simply be pulled to drop it when a dress became too short. As the garments lasted longer, they were affordable.
It was not long before this range of clothing with its bright colors, clean lines and appliques began attracting widespread attention. Soon the children of celebrities like Princess Grace of Monaco and Elizabeth Taylor were seen wearing them. Ten years after the business was started, she won the Nieman Marcus award. She was the first designer of clothes for children to win it.
Over the years, a swimsuit range for women was added as well as a couture line. Florence always kept final control over designs but in 1980 she became ill and was forced to hand over the reigns to Teri Shapiro, her head designer. Teri had worked for a long time for the company and was the right person to help preserve the integrity of the brand.
Even though Florence herself passed away in 1988, the brand is still successful today. Both her sons, Robert and Laurie were involved in the business for many years and took over after her death. The clothing continues to be sought after for its classic simplicity. It is fresh and current, without having lost what made it popular in the first place. Dresses, swimwear, coveralls and many other items are available. Nowadays, they can be purchased from online stores, allowing one the opportunity to compare a range of items and their prices.
She roped in women to sew up the first order in their own homes. She had firm control over the fabrics, designs and quality of the items. Hand sewn embroidery, hand stitched hems, French seams and bound buttonholes were some of the details she insisted upon. Their success meant that the business had to move after a few years. Eventually more designers had to be hired.
Florence always kept control over the final designs to ensure that they expressed her brand. Her philosophy was that clothes should not outshine the natural beauty of a child but simply enhance it. She hated the idea of children being made to look like adults. She felt that clothing should suit the needs of the child and not follow the fads of adult fashion.
Her desire to make children as comfortable as possible in her clothes meant doing away with the tight waistbands, ruffles and flounces popular at the time. Her empire waistlines and trapeze shapes as well as one piece clothing for toddlers were the first of their kind. Knits were also introduced at reasonable prices so they could be worn every day.
The clothing was known for its quality and how long it lasted. Adjustable buttons and deep hems helped to extend the life of items. Subsequently, one of the designers even introduced an added hem. A thread could simply be pulled to drop it when a dress became too short. As the garments lasted longer, they were affordable.
It was not long before this range of clothing with its bright colors, clean lines and appliques began attracting widespread attention. Soon the children of celebrities like Princess Grace of Monaco and Elizabeth Taylor were seen wearing them. Ten years after the business was started, she won the Nieman Marcus award. She was the first designer of clothes for children to win it.
Over the years, a swimsuit range for women was added as well as a couture line. Florence always kept final control over designs but in 1980 she became ill and was forced to hand over the reigns to Teri Shapiro, her head designer. Teri had worked for a long time for the company and was the right person to help preserve the integrity of the brand.
Even though Florence herself passed away in 1988, the brand is still successful today. Both her sons, Robert and Laurie were involved in the business for many years and took over after her death. The clothing continues to be sought after for its classic simplicity. It is fresh and current, without having lost what made it popular in the first place. Dresses, swimwear, coveralls and many other items are available. Nowadays, they can be purchased from online stores, allowing one the opportunity to compare a range of items and their prices.
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