Bill Blass Fashion

William Ralph Blass (or “Bill Blass”) was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana in 1922 to a dressmaker and traveling hardware salesman. He grew passionate about the arts and fashion at an early age. He would often draw sketches from clothing he saw in fashion magazines and movies. He left home at the age of 17 to attend Parson’s College of Design in New York City. Soon after graduating he was drafted to serve in the army. As soon as the war was over he moved back to New York to pursue a career in fashion.
Bill Blass established his Bill Blass house in 1970. He was known for his impeccable tailoring and a sporty yet sophisticated aesthetic in his designs. His designs are dedicated to being always fashionable rather than transitorily trendy. He is most famous for his sportswear style and is said to have pioneered the American casual style of fashion. He used high quality, expensive European fabrics for his designs, which attracted many elite followers. Some of his celebrity followers beginning in the 1970’s were Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Jackie Kennedy, Candice Bergen and Brooke Astor. Today some of his followers include Paris Hilton and Sandra Bullock. The first image is from Bill Blass’ 1970’s collection. This image portrays the fine fabric he used in his designs as well as the attention he paid to detail and craft. Also it shows how he glamorized the sportswear look by pairing loose fitted pants with an open backed top. The next image is from his fall 2011 collection. One can see that he has carried on his chic sportswear look for decades. Since he started his line in 1970, he has expanded to men’s apparel, footwear and even a Bill Bass fragrance.