Born 1905 in Frederick, Maryland, American fashion designer Claire McCardell was the founder of American ready-to-wear fashion, and in doing so defined what has become known as the American Look. She created casual but sophisticated clothes with a functional design, which reflected the lifestyles of American women. McCardell’s design philosophy was that clothes should be practical, comfortable, and feminine. Capitalizing on the World War II restrictions on the availability of French fashions and fabrics, McCardell designed simple, inexpensive clothes under the label Townley Frocks by Claire McCardell and later Claire McCardell Clothes by Townley.
Fashion designs by Claire McCardell in the 1940s
McCardell was known for many other innovations and she experimented with unconventional fabrics for various silhouettes. Her wool jersey bathing suits and cotton-diaper swimsuit are examples of nontraditional fabric use. Madras cotton halter-style full-length hostess gowns were shown for evening. Her design trademarks were double top-stitching, brass hardware replacing buttons with decorative hooks, spaghetti ties, large patch pockets, and Empire waists. McCardell also brought denim to the fashion forefront as a dress fabric, as well as mattress ticking, calicos, and wool fleece. Manmade fibers, too, were a source of innovation. She also loved leotards, hoods, pedal pushers, and dirndl skirts. Surprising color combinations were indicative of McCardell’s work.
The inspirations for McCardell’s designs were many. She relied primarily on her own intuition as a woman, believing that many other women had the same needs for their wardrobes. “Most of my ideas,” stated McCardell, “come from trying to solve my own problems.”
Claire McCardell’s greatest contribution to fashion history was in creating and defining the American Look. Her inspiration is evident in the work of the many fashion designers who followed her. She died of colon cancer in 1958 in New York at the age of 53. These fabulous photos captured portraits of classic beauties wearing Claire McCardell’s designs in the 1940s.
Three models wearing the same gray suit by Claire McCardell but with different accessories, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, April 1, 1943
Betty McLauchlen in a dress by Claire McCardell that featured hooks as function and ornamentation, 1943
Model on left and Bijou Barrington wearing blue denim ensembles by Claire McCardell, photo by Horst P. Horst, Vogue, 1943
Dorian Leigh in Claire McCardell’s fitted tweed suit with hood that folds down into a turtle neck, photo by Louise Dahl-Wolfe, Harper’s Bazaar, 1944
Model in lime green jersey knit halter and shorts by Claire McCardell of Townley, photo by John Rawlings, Vogue, December 1, 1944
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