Carolyn Schnurer (1908-1956)
Carolyn Schnurer (1908-1956) American designer.
Carolyn Schnurer (1908-1956) was an American fashion designer. In New York, she was one of the pioneers of casual, interpreting the American ideal of freedom and emancipation from Europe which characterized, even in fashion, the period between the two wars.
Schnurer’s designs have been featured in Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Life magazines, as well as the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She has also received awards for her designs from Coty, The Cotton Council, International Sportswear, Miami Sportswear, and Boston Sportswear.
Carolyn Schnurer (1908-1956)
Teaching art and music
He taught art and music in a public school, where he occasionally designed fashion. She married Harold Teller “Burt” Schnurer, a swimsuit designer, in 1930, who encouraged her to pursue fashion design instead of teaching. Carolyn Schnurer received her bachelor’s degree from New York University (NYU) in 1941.
Schnurer is also known for her culturally inspired collections. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Schnurer’s inspirational designs were not costumes, but she “featured a detail or two in cut or fabric, while maintaining the classic American silhouette.”
The trip to the Andes in search of inspiration
In 1944, Schnurer traveled to the Andes in search of inspiration. According to the Milwaukee Journal, she traveled more than “15,000 miles of mountainous roads” during the trip. Carolyn Schnurer’s Andean-inspired collection was introduced in 1945 as “Serrano Fashions.” The collections featured fabrics typical for American consumer tastes in a range of colors from light to dark. The cholo coat and pollera skirt were considered highlights of the collection.
Carolyn Schnurer (1908-1956)
The carreer
Schnurer’s career in fashion lasted twenty years, from 1944 until his retirement in 1964.
Carolyn Schnurer encouraged the leisure of the average American woman through her casual clothing designs. She also encouraged American designers to take influences from cultures outside of America and, to a lesser extent, Europe. In 2016, an elephant-patterned embroidered top by Carolyn Schnurer opened “The Women of Harper’s Bazaar” exhibition at Gallery FIT .
She left the business in the 1950s and became a textile consultant for J.P. Stevens.
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