Sydonia Rappaport (1903-2000), aka Rappi (whose married name was Samalman) was born in Austria and raised in NY, where she attended Cooper Union, the Traphagen School of Designing, and New York School of Fine and Applied Arts. Early in her career (which according to the NYTimes began in 1932) she spent two years designing for the Capitol and Paramount theaters, and then went into the “junior evening” (ie formalwear) field. Around 1937 she began to design for Junior Formals, a division of Louis Kallish/Max Rosenbluth’s company (R & K Regulation Company aka Arkay). By 1950 she was referred to by her nickname, Rappi; Rappi Inc. (and thus the Rappi label) seems not to have been created until the very late 1950s/early 1960s.
Written by Cur.io Vintage
