Alfred Werber?

foofoogal

foofoogal

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Picked up a walking coat with a mod look. Label is Alfred Werber New York Los Angeles.
Union label of 1964 to 1973.
Any info on the designer would be great. Thank you in advance.
Seems pretty prolific and nice designer. I actually discovered I have another piece of his without the label also. I so love finding out about the past designers.
 
Sandy, I've had 2 or 3 Werbers and have really liked them a lot! I don't have any info at hand, but from what I recall, this was a midwestern (Chicago, maybe?)-based design house, and there really was an "Alfred Werber." His granddaughter or niece (I forget which) contacted me a few years ago when I had one of his dresses listed. And I remember reading that one of the First Ladies wore his work. Lady Bird, maybe?

Oh, just saw the previous thread on this designer that was posted in 2010--so he was apparently based in St. Louis, and it may have been Jackie Kennedy that wore his designs. I know for sure I had read that one of them liked and wore his designs.... Darned if I can remember which.
 
Here is my Werber. Trying to decide if it could be safely machine washed since it is a double knit polyester. The jacket is lined.

Werber.jpg


Werber2.jpg
 
Well, after not being successful in finding a dry cleaners that was willing to clean this Werber, I decided to try and machine wash it on gentle cycle with Woolite. I did the dress first, and it came out BEAUTIFULLY! That gave me the courage to wash the jacket too. I did that once before with a polyester Vassar dress and lined coat that I once had and the coat came out very nice.

vassar-jpg.253
 
Not willing? That is odd. If they cannot clean poly I cannot imagine what else they cannot clean. Mine has a label that actually states hand washable or dry clean. I do not want to try it (though it is not needed) as I also have a paper union label that I assume would not stay intact if I washed it. 100% polyester also on the label.
 
Success! The jacket came out and looks great. The spots that were on it are gone now. Not quite sure when care labels were required; I think early 70's, but the Werber dress doesn't have one. The dry cleaners I visited didn't feel comfortable cleaning an item without a care label. They didn't want to clean it because if they spot treated the spots, they were sure that the brown color would bleed onto the white area and lining.
 
Like Poppys stated the only issue I would be concerned with on these is the lining shrinking which mine does have.
Interesting about the spot cleaning.
 
Glad to hear the outfit came out well in the washer! I, too, am surprised that the jacket lining didn't shrink. But I'm even more surprised at your cleaner's:

The dry cleaners I visited didn't feel comfortable cleaning an item without a care label. They didn't want to clean it because if they spot treated the spots, they were sure that the brown color would bleed onto the white area and lining.
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I've never seen a polyester knit fabric bleed colors. Not saying it couldn't happen, but I've never seen it happen. Certainly not when cared for properly and treated with proper cleaning agents.

I would suggest you find a different dry cleaner--if they don't feel comfortable cleaning something without a care label, then they must not know very much about cleaning different fibers! What do they do with 1950s or 60s silk dresses--do they not know how to clean silk, even without a care label? I know that a lot of cleaners won't handle vintage fabrics for fear of damaging them, but I've never heard of one that won't clean something merely because it has no care label on it! I agree with Sandy:
If they cannot clean poly I cannot imagine what else they cannot clean.
Click to expand...
 
It was suggested on another thread that I go the dry cleaners in Frontenac which is the "Beverly Hills" of St. Louis. I don't think I would have been able to afford the tab.
 
Here is my coat. Clearly says hand washable.
 

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Clearly little heat is the solution to cleaning these, by whatever method - handwashing is obviously cold or lukewarm at most.
Foofoogal that coat is lovely! I'd wear something like that but it would wash me out :( I don't deal well with pale tones. :D
 
Thank you Melanie. I am waiting for my blonde model to show it as it should be. The cuffs have a military look to them.
 
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