Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

Skip to content

Arnold Scaasi (1931-2015) was born Arnold Isaacs in Montreal, Canada. He left school at fourteen in order to travel to Australia to visit an aunt, and upon his return to Montreal he attended the Cotnoir-Capponi Design School. For his last year of school he went to Paris and studied at the Chambre Syndicale de la Couture Parisienne. In 1953 he left Paris for New York. Upon arrival in the city he called Charles James, who ended up offering him a job.

He worked with James for a while, absorbing James’ approach of designing in the round. Isaacs also freelanced and made clothing for private clients. He also did made-to-order work for companies to use in advertising, and it was for one of these ads, Body by Fisher, that he reversed his last name and became Scaasi for the first time.

In 1956 Scaasi did his first ready-to-wear collection, which was a success. In the next few years he did menswear and costume jewelry, but in 1964 he scaled back on these operations to concentrate on his new made-to-order salon. He made extravagant clothing for many of the country’s most famous women, including First Ladies, actresses and socialites.

The Scaasi Boutique label was started in 1984. This line was top quality ready-to-wear, and was beautifully made and quite expensive. The Arnold Scaasi Nightlife line of ready-to-wear cocktail dresses was introduced in 1996. They originally retailed for $350.00 – $600.00

“I am not a minimalist designer! Clothes with some adornment are more interesting to look at and more fun to wear.” Scaasi

Written by coutureallurevintage.com


from a late 1950s dress - Courtesy of memphisvintage

from a late 1950s dress

Courtesy of memphisvintage

from a c.1964 suit - Courtesy of kickshawproductions

from a c.1964 suit

Courtesy of kickshawproductions

from an early 1990s evening mini dress - Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from an early 1990s evening mini dress

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a 1990s evening dress - Courtesy of bigchief173

from a 1990s evening dress

Courtesy of bigchief173