The Great American Designer

Avery Trufelman· Host0:00

France has its elegant couture from its established ateliers, and Italy has its craftsmanship and its storied houses. But America has brands, brands that make mass-produced, casual, sporty, comfortable clothing for everyone. And we're a young country, but when you think about it, our fashion design history is even younger. Like, who are the titans of American fashion design? It's Donna Karan, Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, Ralph Lauren, these designers who are all still alive. But if you wanna look at where these great fashion designers got it all from, there was a great American fashion designer who many of them were looking to.

Elizabeth Evits Dickinson· Guest0:45

Calvin Klein I quote in the book. Like, he said, "She's the one who did it. She's the one who set the stage and set the standard."

Avery Trufelman· Host0:51

This is journalist Elizabeth Evits Dickinson. We were speaking live on stage at the New-York Historical for this interview, hence the little stagey echo, and we were talking about this designer who made so many of the classics of the American wardrobe.

Elizabeth Evits Dickinson· Guest1:04

This was a woman who was responsible for much of what was in my closet: ballet flats, mix-and-match separates, wrap dresses, denim in womenswear, hoodies, and I was shocked that I had never heard her name.

Avery Trufelman· Host1:18

Her name was Claire McCardell, and Elizabeth wrote a brilliant book about her called Claire McCardell: The Designer Who Set Women Free.

Elizabeth Evits Dickinson· Guest1:27

And if you talk to designers today, many of them