Alice of California

Alice of California was founded in 1925 by Krist Gudnason, an orphan from Iceland who worked on a fishing boat for three years before “jumping ship” and escaping to Norway, where he did well as a door-to-door salesman. He immigrated to the US and arrived in New York without a dime to his name. He then made his way to the West Coast, sold dead stock from a dry goods house in Portland, Oregon, and eventually moved to Los Angeles where he started his own Lady Alice Dresses in 1925. Shortly thereafter, the Lil’ Alice label was added.

In the 1930s Carolyn Perena became lead designer at Alice, defining a new resort look reflecting her love of exotic prints and According to California Stylist magazine, “her allegiance to four basic standards: Colorful, casual, comfortable and Californian.” By 1947 Gunderson opened a four-story factory at a new industrial park in San Francisco.

In the early 1960s, the Lady Alice and Lil’ Alice lines were discontinued, and the Alice, Alice Polynesian and Krist lines replaced them.

See Also: Krist

Written by Mary Catherine Lamb

from a 1940s dress

Courtesy of aprizeeverytime

from an early 1960s dress

Courtesy of daisyfairbanks

from an early 1960s dress

Courtesy of daisyfairbanks

from a 1960s dress

Courtesy of glamoursurf

from a late 1960s dress

Courtesy of thevintagemerchant

from a late 1960s dress

Courtesy of daisyfairbanks

from a late-1960s/early-1970s caftan

Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage

from an early 1970s dress

Courtesy of aprizeeverytime