Who Am I? August 2022
I was born at the tail end of the Coolidge presidency in Brooklyn, N.Y. At some point my dad uprooted us and moved the family to Passaic New Jersey where I grew up. Dad owned a series of fabric and silk shops; and, as a kid, I sold Vogue and Butterick patterns in his stores. I am quoted as saying “I couldn’t wait to escape from Passaic;” however, my dad felt differently – he worked until age 100 and lived in Passaic until the day he died at 105!
I attended the College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning at the University of Cincinnati and, after that, the Traphagen School of Fashion. Many years later I received an honorary doctorate from the University of Cincinnati.
During the Korean Conflict, sometimes called “The Forgotten War,” I was drafted and served honorably at Fort Dix, N.J. and in Germany. At around that time I came out of the closet literally and figuratively. I had almost a 4 decade relationship with my romantic partner who was born in Bayonne, N.J. My companion had taught English in high school for about 10 years in N.Y. before he left that profession for a writing career. He had 5 of his novels published before his untimely death.
After my discharge from the army I got a gig singing and dancing on Broadway during the evenings. During the day I designed clothes for ‘Junior Form’ on 7th Avenue. When my own collection launched I abandoned my Broadway aspirations to pursue a career in the fashion industry. Early in my career I designed clothes for the eponymous firm, “Mr.Mort,” which sold moderately priced women’s clothes.
I have been fortunate enough to have a 6 decade career in the fashion industry. As of this writing am in my mid-90’s and still hard at work. My repertoire has included designing bras, work uniforms, evening clothes and bridal gowns.
You are probably familiar with some of the colleagues I have worked for and with to include Ralph Lauren, Liz Claiborne, Donna Karan, Bill Blass, Marc Jacobs, Anne Klein and Geoffrey Beene. I’ve also designed work for Oleg Cassini, the former U.S. Calvary officer who dressed the Hollywood stars including his beautiful wife, actress Gene Tierney.
I have embraced new technology by utilizing the QVC channel to sell my loungewear for the last two decades. I’m pretty sure you may have noticed some of the uniforms I have designed because I have received commissions from TWA, Jet Blue, Amtrak, Avis, Sandals Resorts, United Airlines, Lowe’s Hotels & Resorts and the Central Park Conservancy to design their work uniforms.
I was first denied entry into the C.F.D.A. because my clothes were too inexpensive! Ironically, I was later to lead the C.F.D.A. as its president for many years. I’ve won 3 prestigious Coty American Fashion Critics Awards for my design work. I was among those who conceived of the idea of N.Y.Fashion Week where, by invitation only, the elite gather to view the latest international collections.
I love discussing astrological signs. I often mobilize the fashion industry in the fight against breast cancer, HIV and AIDS. In my spare time I love feeding the sparrows in Bryant Park and I am a member of the board that oversees it. Believe it or not, I still play a doubles game of tennis twice a week. That’s me in the photo below and alongside me is an image of the TWA flight attendants’ uniforms that I designed for them.
(1a)Who Am I? (1b)What is my astrological sign? (1c)What are the 3 initials of my long time mate? (2a)Was there an actual ‘Mr. Mort?’ If so, what was his actual name? (2b)What do the initials C.F.D.A. stand for? (3a)What particular combination of clothes do I like to wear on a daily basis? (3b)I have a special affinity for designing and using a particular yarn and fabric where the threads are intentionally piled in creating the yarn to resemble a fuzzy caterpillar. It can be made of different fibers including rayon, wool, silk and cotton. What is this material called? (4a)What company supplied most of my home furnishings in my Murray Hill apartment? (4b)Oleg Cassini gave me a special gift which I display on my fireplace mantel. What was that special gift?
