Who was Billy Gordon?
- Thread starter pepsilife
- Start date
lkranieri
VFG Member
One 1948 reference I found to Gordon was that he designed clothes for Lucille Ball.
Another 1948 article commented that he designed clothes "designed to center attention on the woman in them, not to compete with her for attention." It added: "And like all fine designers, he has achieved his aim through fine fabric, through talented attention to cut, and to exquisite detail used as (an) integral part of the design, all of which results in dresses and suits that are nothing short of exquisite." It further noted: "...this western designer, who, before he opened his own establishment in California five years ago, designed for many of the top couture houses in New York..."
Another 1948 article commented that he designed clothes "designed to center attention on the woman in them, not to compete with her for attention." It added: "And like all fine designers, he has achieved his aim through fine fabric, through talented attention to cut, and to exquisite detail used as (an) integral part of the design, all of which results in dresses and suits that are nothing short of exquisite." It further noted: "...this western designer, who, before he opened his own establishment in California five years ago, designed for many of the top couture houses in New York..."
lkranieri
VFG Member
From a 1945 article: "Billy Gordon is a name you'll be hearing more and more about. A recent addition to Rosenfield's long list of famous labels, Billy Gordon gowns are on the enchanting side."
And from another 1945 Ohio article: "If you are an individualist in dress you will be delighted with the one-of-a-kind Billy Gordon costumes which are featured by an Avenue shop. For this Hollywood designer who has created costumes for some of the most famous screen stars has also turned his attention to the making of dresses for the style discerning American woman...WPB restrictions limiting the amount of material used in an outfit do not apply to Gordon, for he works under the dressmaker instead of the garment manufacturer code, and in consequence some of his frocks have skirts measuring 30 yards in circumference."
And from another 1945 Ohio article: "If you are an individualist in dress you will be delighted with the one-of-a-kind Billy Gordon costumes which are featured by an Avenue shop. For this Hollywood designer who has created costumes for some of the most famous screen stars has also turned his attention to the making of dresses for the style discerning American woman...WPB restrictions limiting the amount of material used in an outfit do not apply to Gordon, for he works under the dressmaker instead of the garment manufacturer code, and in consequence some of his frocks have skirts measuring 30 yards in circumference."
lkranieri
VFG Member
A 1946 Los Angeles paper reported: "Asking treble damages of $85,528.65 for violation of price ceilings, the Office of Price Administration yesterday filed an action in U.S. Court against Billy Gordon of the Billy Gordon Originals clothing factory at 806 N. La Cienega Blvd. According to the complaint, the manufacturer contends that his merchandise is custom-made and that the garments are of such unusual design and quality that they are an exception and therefore not subject to O.P.A. regulation."
Rue_de_la_Paix
VFG Member
There were so many wonderful new designers coming out of California in the post WWII years. I find a variety of 1940s and early 1950s California labels with what seem to be rather obscure names, so it is great to learn about Billy Gordon. Thanks for the thread! I learned something new here.
Hi Lynne,
You mentioned you found an article stating billy gordon designed for Lucille Ball, would you mind sharing it? I am trying to find examples of his work.
I did find this website with a billy gordon design sketch for Judy Garland:
http://www.jgdb.com/article2.htm
I notice that all the sketches are the same style. One sketch says it's a billy gordon design, but the others say Donn Ltd. Did billy gordon also design for Donn Ltd?
You mentioned you found an article stating billy gordon designed for Lucille Ball, would you mind sharing it? I am trying to find examples of his work.
I did find this website with a billy gordon design sketch for Judy Garland:
http://www.jgdb.com/article2.htm
I notice that all the sketches are the same style. One sketch says it's a billy gordon design, but the others say Donn Ltd. Did billy gordon also design for Donn Ltd?
lkranieri
VFG Member
I didn't keep a copy of or bookmark the article I found that referenced Lucille Ball, but I am pretty sure it didn't have any accompanying photos or sketches.
I subscribe to several newspaper databases and I suspect I found it in one of those, but I just quickly looked through several of them and didn't see the blurb I thought I remembered. I did, however, see a 1946 ad (with sketches) that stated: "With the same flair for the fabulous, a divine sense of the dramatic, an extravagance that has made him one of the foremost and oft-copied designers for actresses such as Judy Garland and Lucille Ball...Billy Gordon creates originals exclusively for..." This ad was found through the Newspapers.com database to which I subscribe, but as all the digital material there is copyrighted, I am afraid I can't copy and paste it here.
I subscribe to several newspaper databases and I suspect I found it in one of those, but I just quickly looked through several of them and didn't see the blurb I thought I remembered. I did, however, see a 1946 ad (with sketches) that stated: "With the same flair for the fabulous, a divine sense of the dramatic, an extravagance that has made him one of the foremost and oft-copied designers for actresses such as Judy Garland and Lucille Ball...Billy Gordon creates originals exclusively for..." This ad was found through the Newspapers.com database to which I subscribe, but as all the digital material there is copyrighted, I am afraid I can't copy and paste it here.
PepsiLife...I would LOVE love love to see an image of your garment...if you have one...???? (btw, images ~ 450-500 pixels across fit best on our website, ty!)
amandainvermont
VFG Member
Does this help?
