GEOFFREY BEENE
(1927-2004) Beene started at I. Magnin, studied in France, and then moved to New York where he began his career with Sam Winston on 7th Avenue. In 1950 he became an assistant designer at Harmay, where he stayed for eight years. He had just gotten his name on the label in 1957, when he was fired. He then moved on to Teal Traina as designer, where his name appeared on the label.
He opened Geoffrey Beene, Inc in 1963 on 7th Avenue. He won the first of several Coty Awards in 1964. In 1968, Beene designed Lynda Bird Johnson's wedding dress. By the early 70s, fashion was becoming more informal, and so in 1971 he started BeeneBag, a younger, sportier version of his designs.
Beene always designed relaxed, wearable clothing in the best fabrics of their type with a conscientious eye toward craftsmanship and detail. He was known for his use of knits and unstructured, unlined jackets.
Labels to look for include: Traina/Geoffrey Beene, Geoffrey Beene, Beene Boutique, Beene Bazaar, Beene Bag ( sportswear). His name has been licensed for use on items such as: hosiery, shoes, furs, eyeglasses, linens, perfumes, menswear and cologne.
Geoffrey Beene died on September 28, 2004
"Fashion is my way of contributing to other human beings. It is my way of communicating with people, of making something better in their lives." Geoffrey Beene, 1978
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