Louella Ballerino (née Smith; June 4, 1900 – April 13, 1978)[1] was an American fashion designer, best known for her work in sportswear.
Louella Ballerino | |
|---|---|
 Ballerino in an advertisement for Bates fabrics, 1946 | |
| Born | Louella Smith June 4, 1900 Brooklyn, Iowa |
| Died | April 13, 1978 (aged 77) |
| Alma mater | University of Southern California |
| Occupation | Fashion designer |
Biography
editLouella Smith was born in Brooklyn, Iowa and her family later moved to Los Angeles.[2] She attended the University of Southern California as an art history major, and worked with MGM costume designer André-ani.[1] She supported her family by selling fashion sketches to wholesale manufacturers. She also studied pattern-making and tailoring at the Frank Wiggins Trade High School. While there she was made a tutor of fashion design, and began to create some of her own designs at a custom dress shop where she worked.[1][3] In the late 1930s, she and a friend established their own business.
In the 1940s, Ballerino became well known as a member of the California Design sportswear movement. Following in the footsteps of Claire McCardell,[4] Ballerino drew inspiration from African, Latin American, Pacific, and Caribbean native styles,[3][5] and helped popularize ethnic garments such as the hopsack dress, midriff top, pollera, and dirndl in the United States.[1][6]
She designed a popular line of swimwear for Portland manufacturer Jantzen and went on to become their chief designer in the 1950s.[1][7]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e "Louella Ballerino". Vintage Fashion Guild. August 20, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
- ^ "California Shows the Way When Summer Togs Go Out to Play". The Des Moines Register. June 1, 1947. p. 75. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Harrison Martin, Richard (1998). "Profiles of Designers". American Ingenuity: Sportswear, 1930s-1970s. New York City: Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 78. ISBN 9780870998638. Retrieved December 6, 2016 – via Google Books.
- ^ Polan, Brenda; Tredre, Roger (October 1, 2009). "Claire McCardell (1905–1958)". The Great Fashion Designers. Berg. p. 213. ISBN 9780857851758. Retrieved December 6, 2016 – via Internet Archive.
- ^ "Top five posts of 2011—Louella Ballerino crop top, 1946". Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. December 30, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
- ^ Lynch, Annette; Strauss, Mitchell D. (October 30, 2014). "Pollera". Ethnic Dress in the United States: A Cultural Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 234. ISBN 9780759121508. Retrieved December 6, 2016 – via Google Books.
- ^ "Every Gal Needs 12 Swim Suits?". The Indianapolis Star. April 22, 1956. p. 67. Retrieved October 13, 2021 – via newspapers.com.
