Hi friends, Yesterday I purchased two dresses with sewn in John Hogan California labels. They each have other labels--one is Butte Knit (no problem there), and the other is Joanna Nelson. I don't have photos of the dresses in yet, but does anyone know about the John Hogan label? Thanks in advance! Trish
I am running out for a quick appointment and will post more when I return, but something(s) I read last night led me to believe John Hogan was the name of a store--or stores--and not the designer. When I return I will post what I found about that. HERE are some links to information about Joanna Nelson. Note that the last link on the first page (the 1966 Business Week link) reported: "Miss Pat's Richard Woodard (left) chats with Joanna Nelson, one of the new bright designers."
From a 1990 obituary for Jane Hogan: "Jane Hogan, who with her late husband founded the John Hogan Co., died Monday in her Point Loma home. She was 69...The Hogan Co. for many years was synonymous in Southern California with high fashion for women. The first store opened in 1958 in La Jolla. A second store was opened in Fashion Valley in 1969 and a third in Newport Beach in 1979. Mr. Hogan died in 1982 and the family closed the stores in 1984 to prevent other groups from using the Hogan name, a son, Joseph Hogan, said."
Thank you, Lynne! I was hoping to find just that information on John Hogan. I also appreciate the Joanna Nelson search results. I had only found an advertisement to an auction of her estate. I wish I knew what her couture label looks like. I'm sure mine is a ready to wear. Every dress I've seen (with a photo of the label) online looks like mine--some listings say couture, some not. "This is the estate of Joanna Nelson - an incredible dynamo raised in British Colonial India and whose journey led her around the world and to the man she would spend her life with and a stunning career as a pioneer of the California clothing design movement of the sixties and seventies! She and her husband reared their daughters in a rich environment influenced by their shared interests in art, travel, and the equestrian community of Los Angeles. Joanna's ready to wear line featuring the California look was featured in stores around the country and her Couture line was a Bullock's Wilshire Exclusive." View full details at EstateSales.NET: http://www.EstateSales.NET/CA/Los-Angeles/90049/974388
From a 1964 (California) article: "(Joanna Nelson), wife of an Air Force officer and mother of two, designs for the young married with more fashion sense than cents..." And only two years later, from a 1966 article: "Another young designer, Joanna Nelson, went even more sophisticated in the higher-priced bracket..." One store's 1967 invitation to meet the designers mentioned "...Robert Bardavid for Joanna Nelson..." From a 1967 article: "Joanna Nelson calls her things 'doll dresses' and puts in French ribbons and ruffles..." Joanna Nelson is mentioned in a 1967 article about "California Couturiers." (1967) "Joanna Nelson was all femininity and romance." (1967) "Another designer in the neo-romantic tradition is young Joanna Nelson." There certainly may be later dates for Joanna Nelson fashions, but in the one database I checked, the latest references to her fashions were from 1972.
While I was typing my few Joanna Nelson blurbs, I see you posted a great blurb about her life. Thanks for that.
I worked for the John Hogan store in downtown San Diego in the early 70s. It was geared to “mature” women...in my opinion. Coutour, Sophisticated, pretty and subdued. I also worked to fill in at the fashion valley store. I learned a lot. The alterations dept was in the basement where we employees had a small lounge area.
