Arnold Scaasi (1930–2015) was a Canadian fashion designer who has created gowns for First Ladies Mamie Eisenhower, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton, and Laura Bush, in addition to such notable personalities as Joan Crawford, Ivana Trump, Princess Yasmin Aga Khan, Lauren Bacall, Diahann Carroll, Elizabeth Taylor, Catherine Deneuve, Brooke Astor, Arlene Francis, Mitzi Gaynor and Mary Tyler Moore.
Bucking the trend for affordable fashions, Scaasi opened a couture salon catering to a clientele of socialites and celebrities in 1964. He was noted for his tailored suits and glamorous evening wear and cocktail dresses trimmed with feathers, fur, sequins, or fine embroidery. He was presented with the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996.
These vintage photos captured portraits of classic beauties wearing fashion designs by Arnold Scaasi in the 1960s.
Dina Merrill wears a long pink velvet evening coat with white fox collar by Arnold Scaasi, diamonds are by Van Cleef & Arpels, photo by Milton Greene, Life, January 11, 1960
Carmen Dell’ Orefice in red bodice and purple skirt, Simone d’Aillencourt in turquoise overblouse and chartreuse skirt, all in French lace by Arnold Scaasi, photo by Melvin Sokolsky, Harper’s Bazaar, March 1960
Isabella Albonico in beautiful short evening dress of silk organza printed in large daisies which spill over into the lining of the pink silk coat, by Arnold Scaasi, matching hat by Emme, photo by Irving Penn, Vogue, June 1, 1960
Nena von Schlebrugge in magnificent Empress chinchilla evening wrap by Arnold Scaasi for Ben Kahn, photo by Louis Faurer, Harper’s Bazaar, December 1960
Pia Kazan in spectacular dress of silk chiffon in two layers of black over forest green with a deep V-back, by Arnold Scaasi who also designed the earrings, photo by Lionel Kazan, 1960
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