Ognibene-Zendman

Couture label, was founded in Rome in 1965 by Sergio Ognibene (1929) and Peter Zendman. Zendman was the son of New York lace merchants, and in 1958 had already set up his own dressmaking business called Escalier. This fashion house has always been fond of simple, clean and slightly masculine creations using muted colours. They are also interested in the use of different materials, ranging from plastic to metal; for example, in 1966-67 they launched a short evening dress made of Mikado lamè, with a gold and silver check pattern and a skirt cut in an arched shape. Over the years the two designers have become “converted” to ready-to-wear. At present their collections are presented twice a year in 16 US cities, in prestigious stores such as Bergdorf Goodman, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Neiman Marcus.