Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection features two designers
Bonnie Cashin, Coat, 1973, wool, gift of Philip Sills Co.
Courtesy: Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection
Quick! Who designed the gowns for the classic film “Laura?”
True, the name Bonnie Cashin may not have the instant recognition of, say, Edith Head or Adrian. Nevertheless, Cashin had quite an impact on clothing design on- and off-screen as one of the founders of modern sportswear. For a brief period she also designed military uniforms.
When she moved to New York City from her native California after World War II, Cashin roomed with fellow transplanted Californian Dorothy Liebes. Liebes specialized in weaving and became well-known for her bold color combinations and innovative use of materials such as jute, plastic threads, ticker tape, grass, leather, straw, ribbon and metallic yarns. The textiles she created were an integral part of the architectural settings for which they were designed, from Hollywood theater curtains to the Persian Room of the Plaza Hotel in New York.
Examples of two designers’ work are on display at the Helen Louise Allen Textile Collection in Room 378 of the School of Human Ecology until Friday, Jan. 12. For details, call 262-1162 or visit http://sohe.wisc.edu/depts/hlatc/location.html.