Leo John Narducci was born to Leo D. and Mary Narducci in 1932, and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts. He basically grew up in the family garment business, learning to sew at an early age. After serving in the U.S. Air Force in Korea, he enrolled in Rhode Island School of Design, graduating in 1960. He moved to New York City and went to work for Loomtogs Inc., a successful sportswear company. In an effort to launch his solo career, he began submitting fashion editorials to Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Women’s Wear Daily, Glamour and Mademoiselle. In 1965 he was awarded the Coty Fashion Award for Young Designers. In a 2014 interview for Rhode Island Art Archive Project, he reminisced, “My first collection on Seventh Avenue, the stores didn’t know where to put my clothes because they were young but they were designer, so they started a new department called Young Designer.”
Over the next decade he designed for a number of firms, including Rose Marie Reid from 1968 through the early-1970s. In 1971 he started his own label, specializing in soft clothes with casual outlines and elegant materials. He produced designs for Vogue Patterns in the 1970s. In 1974, Warner Bros. hired Narducci to design a 16 piece “Mame” collection in collaboration with Trevari, the German textile company to promote the Lucille Ball movie.
As of 2022, Leo Narduccci’s web site shows new design projects in the works in both fashion and jewelry.
Written by Ranch Queen Vintage
from a 1960s dress suit
Courtesy of Blue Velvet Vintage
from a 1964 dress
Courtesy of Straylight Vintage
from a late-1960s/early-1970s swimsuit
Courtesy of fuzzylizzie
from a 1974 maxi dress
Courtesy of Straylight Vintage
from a 1970s jersey evening dress
Courtesy of Augusta Auctions
