From the Archives: A Conversation with Norell
Editor's Note: Throughout this week, WWD will be looking through the Fairchild Archives at some of the designers it has interviewed and profiled over the years, along with photos from their collections. On Monday, the series begins with a July 11, 1966 interview with legendary American designer Norman Norell. (An explanation: the article was reproduced using WWD's style at the time, which leaned heavily toward capital letters, ellipses, and boldface.)
THE ONLY AMERICAN DESIGNER IN THE SAME LEAGUE AS THE GRANDS COUTURIERS DE PARIS PRESENTS HIS FALL COLLECTION DURING A CHAMPAGNE PREVIEW THIS EVENING.
BEFORE THE OPENING, NORMAN NORELL DISCUSS EXCLUSIVELY WITH WWD.
It's 90 degrees outside.
Norman is relaxed in his cool, stripped-down showroom.
Not a thread or sample in sight.
Related GalleriesNo evidence of frantic last-minute fittings behind closed doors.
Norman exudes confidence... admits that it's not all over.
No temperament or pale air, although the workers spilled ocher paint on the carpet and there was no time to get a new one.
He wears his patriotic blue suit with a red tie and a blue and white striped shirt.
There is an insightful twinkle in his eyes as
HE DROPS THE CHIPS WHERE THEY CAN.
"THIS COLLECTION IS GOING TO BE SHOWN STRAIGHT. People have overdone the fashion presentation. It's time to throw out all that fancy stuff.
"I don't have private clients...never have...It's a business matter, not a social matter.
"NOT ALL FASHION COMES FROM PARIS COMES FROM LONDON AND NEW YORK.
“THIS WORD OF A RETURN TO ELEGANCE IS A LOAD OF FABULOUS.
"Youth can be elegant...youth still has influence...and that's where the influence will stay...and I don't think it's coming from Paris at all. With the youth, Paris is not with… it comes from London and New York.
"We're not going back to old-fashioned old ladies' clothes. You design a so-called women's dress and make it a size 8 and it's still an old dress. That's why the whole clothing business for even a young dress in size 18 ages automatically.
"I'M BORED AS HELL WITH THE LENGTH OF SKIRTS...it all depends on the woman.
"It's a very healthy thing for women to decide what they want. A designer can no longer dictate.
"It's a matter of knee length now... ours will be short.
"I can hear it now...Paris will be in the headlines...an inch or half an inch. It doesn't matter. It's only when he gets down to mid-calf that this will be news. I see no reason for longer skirts...no reason in the world to lengthen skirts for a long time.
"AS REGARDS FORM, AMERICA AS A WHOLE IS GETTING USED TO THE SIZELESS DRESS.
"You can't change that all at once...women are all about comfort...they don't want to be pinched. A belt requires a small waist and who has a small waist today?
"I have straight and narrow shapes...other loose ones...in the collection.
“I DO MUCH MORE COLOR THAN I EVER DID…two, three or even four strong colors in a suit…maybe a strong colored coat over a light dress…or a light coat over a dark dress .
“You feel happier wearing color. Remember when the boys came to Halloran Hospital during the war?…They were put in bright red pajamas. That’s good psychology.
"My color statement this time is pretty bold. It's going to be tough on the ladies...they'll have to have more clothes. And it's expensive.
"White too... and black and white.
"I'm afraid the black dress has bitten the dust...John Moore is the only one who can still do it...one after the other...but he cuts and drapes them so nicely.
"Well….[with a wry smile]…a woman has to have a black dress…I don't do more than one or two.
"I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SAY THE SUIT IS DEAD. A woman needs a suit...a nice, simple, unadorned suit.
"What has bothered women is the over-styling. They want something like Chanel's successful little suits that don't tax them.
"I'm making some costumes.
"COATS ARE MORE IMPORTANT. I made one that I like...then I made some that I didn't like as well as the first one. So why should I make any several and have problems with buyers?
"I only have one coat shape in the collection...it's...
Editor's Note: Throughout this week, WWD will be looking through the Fairchild Archives at some of the designers it has interviewed and profiled over the years, along with photos from their collections. On Monday, the series begins with a July 11, 1966 interview with legendary American designer Norman Norell. (An explanation: the article was reproduced using WWD's style at the time, which leaned heavily toward capital letters, ellipses, and boldface.)
THE ONLY AMERICAN DESIGNER IN THE SAME LEAGUE AS THE GRANDS COUTURIERS DE PARIS PRESENTS HIS FALL COLLECTION DURING A CHAMPAGNE PREVIEW THIS EVENING.
BEFORE THE OPENING, NORMAN NORELL DISCUSS EXCLUSIVELY WITH WWD.
It's 90 degrees outside.
Norman is relaxed in his cool, stripped-down showroom.
Not a thread or sample in sight.
Related GalleriesNo evidence of frantic last-minute fittings behind closed doors.
Norman exudes confidence... admits that it's not all over.
No temperament or pale air, although the workers spilled ocher paint on the carpet and there was no time to get a new one.
He wears his patriotic blue suit with a red tie and a blue and white striped shirt.
There is an insightful twinkle in his eyes as
HE DROPS THE CHIPS WHERE THEY CAN.
"THIS COLLECTION IS GOING TO BE SHOWN STRAIGHT. People have overdone the fashion presentation. It's time to throw out all that fancy stuff.
"I don't have private clients...never have...It's a business matter, not a social matter.
"NOT ALL FASHION COMES FROM PARIS COMES FROM LONDON AND NEW YORK.
“THIS WORD OF A RETURN TO ELEGANCE IS A LOAD OF FABULOUS.
"Youth can be elegant...youth still has influence...and that's where the influence will stay...and I don't think it's coming from Paris at all. With the youth, Paris is not with… it comes from London and New York.
"We're not going back to old-fashioned old ladies' clothes. You design a so-called women's dress and make it a size 8 and it's still an old dress. That's why the whole clothing business for even a young dress in size 18 ages automatically.
"I'M BORED AS HELL WITH THE LENGTH OF SKIRTS...it all depends on the woman.
"It's a very healthy thing for women to decide what they want. A designer can no longer dictate.
"It's a matter of knee length now... ours will be short.
"I can hear it now...Paris will be in the headlines...an inch or half an inch. It doesn't matter. It's only when he gets down to mid-calf that this will be news. I see no reason for longer skirts...no reason in the world to lengthen skirts for a long time.
"AS REGARDS FORM, AMERICA AS A WHOLE IS GETTING USED TO THE SIZELESS DRESS.
"You can't change that all at once...women are all about comfort...they don't want to be pinched. A belt requires a small waist and who has a small waist today?
"I have straight and narrow shapes...other loose ones...in the collection.
“I DO MUCH MORE COLOR THAN I EVER DID…two, three or even four strong colors in a suit…maybe a strong colored coat over a light dress…or a light coat over a dark dress .
“You feel happier wearing color. Remember when the boys came to Halloran Hospital during the war?…They were put in bright red pajamas. That’s good psychology.
"My color statement this time is pretty bold. It's going to be tough on the ladies...they'll have to have more clothes. And it's expensive.
"White too... and black and white.
"I'm afraid the black dress has bitten the dust...John Moore is the only one who can still do it...one after the other...but he cuts and drapes them so nicely.
"Well….[with a wry smile]…a woman has to have a black dress…I don't do more than one or two.
"I DON'T THINK YOU CAN SAY THE SUIT IS DEAD. A woman needs a suit...a nice, simple, unadorned suit.
"What has bothered women is the over-styling. They want something like Chanel's successful little suits that don't tax them.
"I'm making some costumes.
"COATS ARE MORE IMPORTANT. I made one that I like...then I made some that I didn't like as well as the first one. So why should I make any several and have problems with buyers?
"I only have one coat shape in the collection...it's...
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