The Youthcraft Manufacturing Company was one of several Kansas City-based makers of women’s coats and suits. It was founded by Leon Karosen in late 1945, and by the mid-1970s it was one of the ten largest women’s coat manufacturers in the United States. Youthcraft coats retailed at a relatively high price point but the company did not produce innovative styles. Rather, it created quality outerwear that appealed to the tastes of the average American woman. It did so by staying within the bounds of established trends while also offering touches of luxury, such as fur trims and European fabrics.
From 1959 to 1965 the head designer was Eugene Lebovitz, a Holocaust survivor and highly skilled tailor who later built a reputation as a respected fiber artist. In 1980, Leon Karosen enticed another Holocaust survivor, Martin Unger, to assume the role of head designer at Youthcraft. Before re-locating to Kansas City from New York City to work for Karosen, Unger designed for the high-end suit maker Zelinka-Matlick.
Youthcraft created several lines in addition to the main Youthcraft label. By the mid-1970s the company had acquired Lassie Junior, Meri K, Miss Bazaar, and American Bazaar. Their in-house labels included: Youthcraft Miss, which launched in 1955; Country Pacer, which was introduced in 1965 and produced through the late 1980s; and Voyager West, which was introduced in 1965 and produced through the mid-1980s. The company ceased operations no later than 1990.
Written by Jennifer Binns of Hollie Point Vintage
