Seeking information on Michél of California / Juilliard wool

[Pinkcoke]

from a very upmarket 40s/50s coat also labelled 100% virgin Juilliard wool.
I got brief results from an Illinois newspaper before the subscription website closed me off. Lots of results for De Michel of California, but this doesn't match the label I'm looking at, which says "an original Michel of California" with the accent on the e.

 

[lkranieri]

Here is one reference, from a 1947 newspaper: "B.M. Michel, designer of coats and suits bearing the label Michel of California"

 

[lkranieri]

...and from a 1956 newspaper: "...by B.M. Michel of California..."

 

[lkranieri]

From a 1947 article: "A vacation in California after trying life in Paris, Vienna, and Russia sold B.M. Michel on the idea that the Golden State was the one that would lay the golden egg for a coat and suit manufacturing business. The label that bears his name is backed by nicely detailed styling and fine fabrics."

 

[lkranieri]

From a June 1946 article: "B.M. Michel, coat and suit designer who has recently added his creative talents to California's apparel industry..."

 

[lkranieri]

It looks like B.M. Michel was in Chicago before going to California...or perhaps they were just manufacturing there?

and from a 1942 Chicago paper:

 

[Pinkcoke]

Many Thanks Ikranieri, the period fits perfectly, looks like he made the new brand when he moved. Is 1956 the latest record you found of the name? do any of the records mention the brand using exotic furs - big cats etc?

 

[lkranieri]

Melanie,

I am still looking, but I think I found two 1961 classified ads for B.M. Michel Inc.
I have attached here a screen print of a reference to a designer who worked for Michel. I am sorry for the large sizes of some of these screen prints, but they are sent from my iPad and I have yet to find a way to resize them on the iPad.

 

[lkranieri]

Here is a little biographical information about--and a photo of--B.M. Michel. Now that I know where he was born, it may help find more information about him...

 

[lkranieri]

I forgot to answer your question about the furs. I remember seeing some reference to furred coats, but I don't remember if they were exotic furs, so I will try to find a couple of those ads.

 

[lkranieri]

Bernhard M. Michel, born in Russia in 1892, was recorded in the 1940 federal census for Chicago. His occupation was "Proprietor and Designer" for "Ladies Garment Manufacture" (for himself, we assume). His wife was Ethel and at that time they had a young son named Edward.

He arrived in the US in 1905 and was naturalized here in 1920.

It seems he died in Los Angeles in 1969.

 

[lkranieri]