R & M Kaufmann

The R & M Kaufmann partnership was started in the 1920s by brothers Rudolph and Max to sell bloomers and camisoles. They had several years’ experience selling for an eastern shirtwaist and lingerie manufacturer. Rudolf’s son Eugene, just 19 years old, was in charge of manufacturing which at the time was a single cutting table and machine along with seven sewing machines. The business was originally located at 4845 Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago but as sales grew, they incorporated in 1926 and moved to Aurora, Illinois since the Chicago plant couldn’t keep up. The company specialized in ladies’ dresses and sleepwear. As the company grew further through the 1930s, other members of the family rose to prominence. During the depression, Kaufmann capitalized on the then-new pajama fad introducing knit pajamas, cotton print designs, and bell bottom pants. The industry’s shift to mass production of ladies’ dresses at affordable prices in the 30s allowed Kaufmann who had the needed mass production skills for years to become a leading producer of inexpensive house dresses as leading department and specialty stores eagerly placed orders for these new lines, many retailing for as low as $1. During that time, Kaufmann also started adding their own novel embroidery, applique and Cornelli trim, while other garment manufacturers continued to rely on New York trim manufacturers. This new Kaufmann trim touch spurred industry sales to new heights and led to a new Kaufmann factory in Clinton, Iowa. Both Aurora and Clinton plants became testing sites for newly designed sewing machines and attachments to keep Kaufmann at the forefront of modern equipment.

The company had numerous labels* (see list of trademarks below) over the years but the most well-known were Vicky Vaughn (their junior division), Toni Todd (for misses’ sizes), and Lady Laura which were added to the well-known Adorable Frocks and Loveable Frocks labels from the earlier years. The Vicky Vaughn label was first used in 1941 but wasn’t trademarked until 1948. The Toni Todd label was first used in 1946 and then trademarked in 1954. They grew sales by steadily advertising in Seventeen, Mademoiselle and Charm magazines as well as the use of live television commercials on shows such as “Beat the Clock.” They produced high quality but moderately priced dresses and sleepwear with the motto “Only the LOOK is expensive” and were able to keep prices low by mass producing garments in their own factories. In 1969, the company was sold to Russ Togs, a sportswear manufacturer founded in 1946 by Irving Rousso and his brother Eli. Over the years, Russ Togs, which went public in 1960, became a leading women’s sportswear manufacturer and produced apparel under such labels as Russ, Villager and Crazy Horse. In 1988, the Kaufmann family bought the firm back from Russ Togs and continued the Aurora operations into the 1990s when they sold it to Global Clothing. In 1989, Toni Todd introduced an Eastern European theme featuring floral accent black sweaters, dresses and skirts.

Written by Vintagiality

See also Vicky Vaughn
See also Toni Todd