Interesting info about 'marc' signature fabric from Miss Elaine

Interesting info about \'marc\' signature fabric from Miss Elaine

I picked up this cool bodysuit by Miss Elaine with signature 'marc' fabric. I emailed the company and got a very nice reply to my question about who is marc? Apparently this is from an old sieries of signature 'marc' fabric the company did a while ago. This is her answer:

"This is from many years ago and we had a selection of items
using a fabric we called Marc Signature Prints. Marc is currently the Chairman of the Company."

Chairman of Miss Elaine is Marc Seldin.


This piece is from the 60's. Lizzie, not sure if you want to add this info to the label resource.









-Pam

 

Wow, thats amazing!!! Someone just asked about a Marc piece a few weeks ago and I've had a few too, never with a label so no one knew who Marc was. Now we know!! Thanks Pam!!

Ang

 

That is awesome! We had a friend on here asking about the Marc signature but we were never able to find a definitive answer.

 

To bring the information about Marc Seldin up to date, here is something taken from his obituary:

Marc A Seldin passed away peacefully at home on June 5, 2015 at the age of 86. He had a sister, ELAINE Seldin Kornblum, who died before him. I deduce this would make her the daughter of Herman Seldin, in whose hands the company developed.

Marc was a 1947 graduate of John Burroughs School and Princeton University in 1951 with a degree in architecture before serving as a captain in the Coast Guard during the Korean War. He joined the family business, Sel-Mor Garment Company in 1953, which is now known as Miss Elaine Inc.

The company's name was Sel-Mor. Sel from Seldin, obviously, but maybe there was a Morton or someone? Alternatively, selling more was a sound idea if you want to make money. And still is.

Marc built Miss Elaine into a top selling, world-wide brand, ultimately receiving the prestigious Femmy Award in 1981 for his lifetime achievements. The company, now 90 years old, is in its third generation, run by his son, James Seldin. Marc remained actively involved in Miss Elaine's product development his entire life.

Lizzie Bramlett is on record as stating: "The lingerie company Miss Elaine was founded in 1926 in the clothing manufacturing center of St. Louis." Not wishing to argue the point, this information appears not to be strictly accurate, since there is documentary evidence that it was the Sel-Mor Garment Company, Inc (that made Miss Elaine garments) that was founded - by Herman C Seldin on 15 May 1926. The company, Sel-Mor, was still very active, in the courts at least, as late as 1953. Fighting over patents with local competitor: Weil-Kalter Manufacturing Company - best known to most of as the makers of . . . Artemis Lingerie.

Martin Harrison
The Dream Merchants
August 2016.