Comments on: “That’s One Small Step for a Woman, One Giant Leap for Fashion!”

By: Marilyn Kirschner

Marilyn Kirschner — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 16:53:10 +0000

This is what I wrote in the paragraph “Claire McCardell (1905- 1958) is considered to be the inventor of American sportswear. She introduced the idea of separates, the wrap dress (which she called the ‘popover’), easy to wear adult ‘play clothes,’ and popularized the use of Capezio ballet slippers (ballerina flats)”.

By: Marilyn Kirschner

Marilyn Kirschner — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 16:51:13 +0000

I sent a note over to Vicky Tiel who explained that HER red dress had been selling at Giorgio’s on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills for 5 years when a Los Angeles based costume designer came in and copied it for the movie.
Her HSN lawyers checked it out and decreed that she was the first designer, therefore, she has been deemed the legal designer of the dress.

She has never sued and has had a long career selling the “Pretty Woman” Dress. She is considering writing a book about this in fact.

By: Marilyn Kirschner

Marilyn Kirschner — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 15:10:42 +0000

Hi Danielle,
I did say that Claire was responsible for the wrap dress.
I merely mentioned that Vicky Tiel also did a well received version prior to Diane.

By: Marilyn Kirschner

Marilyn Kirschner — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 15:08:32 +0000

Thank you…I am sending the note to Vicky Tiel who has always maintained that it was her design…

By: Danielle Foster-Herbst

Danielle Foster-Herbst — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 03:05:40 +0000

Marilyn,
I wonder why you overlooked crediting Claire MCCardel for the wrap dress decades prior to either
Vicky Tiel or Diane von Furstenberg?
sincerely,
Danielle

By: Madeleine Gallay

Madeleine Gallay — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 23:35:13 +0000

Beautiful article, loved seeing the photos and the stories.
I remember so much of this.
But it was Marilyn Vance who designed Pretty Woman, not Ms. Tiel.

By: Anna Bayle

Anna Bayle — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 15:25:37 +0000

GREAT ARTICLE, Marilyn!!!!
I sincerely appreciate it when you set the fashion history records straight in your articles, like this piece.