Joan Vass

Joan Isabel Vass, or simply known as Joan Vass, was the woman behind the brand of the same name. But before she achieved and attained fame, she traveled to a lot of places and explored lots of possibilities.

Personal Life
Ms. Vass was the only child of Max and Rose Kaplan. She was born on May 19, 1925 in New York City. Her parents were the owners of Square Deal, a chain of laundries located in Brooklyn. For her tertiary education, she went to University of Wisconsin. Philosophy was her chosen major. While in college, she met Gene Vass who was also a student of the same university. They tied the knot before the completion of Mr. Vass’ thesis.

Marriage and Motherhood
In the 1950s, the couple transferred to Buffalo, still in New York. Ms. Vass posed as a nude model for art students (even with a baby in her womb). Mr. Vass, on the other hand, pursued studies on G.I. Bill. Before the end of the 1950s, the couple moved again. This time, they went to Rome. The reason for the transfer was the granting of the Prix de Rome scholarship to Mr. Vass.

In 1960, they finally settled back in New York. During their first few years of residence in New York, the couple joined a number of intellectuals and artists in leading the development of factory lofts (SoHo). Mr. Vass was a painter and sculptor. He died in 1996. But before his death, he was already separated from his wife. Their separation happened during the time when the brand Joan Vass was just being launched.
The founder of the brand, Ms. Vass, also passed away years after her ex-husband. She died at the age of 85 on January 8, 2011 in Manhattan.
The couple left two children behind: Jason and Sara. Sara Vass works as a public relations consultant while her brother resides in California. Their mother also considered fashion consultant Richard Mauro as an adopted son.

The Rise to Fame in the Fashion Industry
Before her entry into the fashion industry, Ms. Vass was employed as an assistant curator of the Museum of Modern Art or MoMA. Her write-ups on art were featured in America magazine as well. Together with Harry Abrams and Walker & Company, she edited art books. Indeed, Ms. Vass has left a legacy in the fashion industry. It all started when Cynthia Harris, a film actress, shared with Ms. Vass her passion for knitting at a dinner party the two of them attended.

Ms. Vass sought the services of women in the city, both employed and unemployed. She provided the design while the women did the knitting and sewing. Some worked in their homes while others knitted during their breaks or travels to their work. Mufflers and hats were the first batch of products sold by Ms. Vass. Henri Bendel, a fashion arbiter, purchased those. Soon after, Ms. Vass’ brand earned admirers and became popular.

The brand was established in 1977. From mufflers and hats, Ms. Vass produced sweaters for men and women alike. The increasing demands prompted her to tap greater knitting capabilities. It was answered by the South Carolina-based Signal Knitting Mills. The expansion enabled the brand to provide more knitwear and clothing options in addition to mufflers, hats, and sweaters. The additional offerings included skirts, trousers, and dresses.

Her brand received several accolades from different organizations, such as the Prince Machiavelli Prix de Cachet award, the Coty American Fashion Critics award, and Smithsonian Institute’s Extraordinary Women in Fashion award. Aside from the awards, Ms. Vass and her brand further rose to fame because of their features in fashion magazines. Two prominent models and celebrities who wore her creations were Farrah Fawcett and Candice Bergen.

Though the first creations under the brand were mainly clothing, the brand dipped its toes in the fragrance industry decades after. The latest offerings are Joan Vass L’eau de Opale, L’eau de Crystal, and L’eau de Amethyst.

Although Ms. Vass retired around 2005 or 2006, her brand remains to this day. In 2010, the acquisition of the brand was completed by Global Sourcing and Design.