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Simpson, Adele

Adele Simpson (1903-1995) started her career as a designer at Ben Gershal in 1927. Her sister was employed there, and Gershal hired Adele after asking her sister about who made her dresses. In 1942 she went to work at Mary Lee, where she worked under her own name by 1944. She purchased the company in 1949 and remamed it Adele Simpson, Inc.

Her husband, Wesley Simpson, designed many of the fabrics Adele used in her early designs. She was known for her usage of fabrics, and for her practical, wearable designs.

Adele Simpson was known throughout the 1970s and 1980s for chemise dresses and shirtwaists. After she retired in the early 1980s, the company was run by Adele’s daughter, Joan Simpson Raines.

Written by pastperfectvintage.com

from a late 1940s cocktail dress - Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a late 1940s cocktail dress

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from an early 1950s dinner dress - Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from an early 1950s dinner dress

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a late 1940s/early 1950s dress - Courtesy of memphisvintage

from a late 1940s/early 1950s dress

Courtesy of memphisvintage

from a 1950s skirt suit - Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1950s skirt suit

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1950s Cocktail Dress and Jacket Set - Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage

from a 1950s Cocktail Dress and Jacket Set

Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage

from a 1950s New Look dress - Courtesy of route66gal

from a 1950s New Look dress

Courtesy of route66gal

from a late 1950s suit - Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a late 1950s suit

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a mid/late 1960s suit - Courtesy of coutureallurevintage.com

from a mid/late 1960s suit

Courtesy of coutureallurevintage.com

from a late 1960s dress - Courtesy of aprizeeverytime

from a late 1960s dress

Courtesy of aprizeeverytime

from a 1970s folkloric dress - Courtesy of bigchief173

from a 1970s folkloric dress

Courtesy of bigchief173

from a late 1970s suit - Courtesy of coutureallurevintage.com

from a late 1970s suit

Courtesy of coutureallurevintage.com

from a 1980s silk dress - Courtesy of shopping-goddess

from a 1980s silk dress

Courtesy of shopping-goddess

from a 1980s party dress - Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1980s party dress

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1940s (hand-written "Nov 1944" on label) wool jacket with astrakhan trim

Courtesy of Darrell Forney

from a late 1940s cocktail dress

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from an early 1950s dinner dress

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a late 1940s/early 1950s dress

Courtesy of memphisvintage

from a 1950s skirt suit

Courtesy of claireshaeffer

from a 1950s Cocktail Dress and Jacket Set

Courtesy of Ranch Queen Vintage

from a 1950s New Look dress

Courtesy of route66gal

from a late 1950s suit

Courtesy of fuzzylizzie.com

from a mid/late 1960s suit

Courtesy of coutureallurevintage.com

from a late 1960s dress

Courtesy of aprizeeverytime

from a 1970s folkloric dress

Courtesy of bigchief173

from a late 1970s suit

Courtesy of coutureallurevintage.com

from a 1980s silk dress

Courtesy of shopping-goddess

from a 1980s party dress

Courtesy of claireshaeffer