History of American Fashion People
Who Made It Happen
James Dean
James Dean (1931–1955) was an actor who embodied the restless spirit of American youth in the 1950s and quickly became an icon of popular culture after his tragic death in a car accident in Calif...
Christian Dior
Christian Dior (1905–1957) was a famous French fashion designer who headquartered his couture label in Paris in 1946. The following year, he debuted the "New Look" which established his reputatio...
Paul Poiret
Paul Poiret (1879–1944) was the most popular designer of the pre-World War I period, perhaps best known for his hobble (or pencil) skirt design, a vertical, tight-bottomed style that forced women...
Clara Lemlich Shavelson
Clara Lemlich Shavelson (1886–1982) was a labor activist and an organizer for the shirtwaist workers in early-20th century New York. She'd already been arrested 17 times and suffered repeated bea...
Brooke Shields
Brooke Shields (1965–) is a veteran actress and model who started out as a child star, having modeled since she was less than one year old. Shields has starred in several films, including Pr...
Levi Strauss
Levi Strauss (1829–1902), originally named Loeb Strauss, was a Bavarian immigrant who during the California Gold Rush went into business as a dry goods wholesaler on San Francisco's Market Street...
André Leon Talley
André Leon Talley (1948–) is the former editor-at-large of Vogue magazine, and one of the most internationally recognizable figures in the fashion industry. Talley was the magazine's creative di...