The Florence Eiseman Clothing Brand

By Krystal Branch


Florence Eiseman discovered her talent when making gifts for friends. Her husband took some of the pinafores she had sewn to Marshall Fields and was given a large order. This legendary brand of clothing for children was born in 1945 and is still going strong today.

Her well known philosophy was that one should see the child first and not the clothing. Clothes should simply highlight the natural beauty of a child. Generations of children dressed in her designs confirm that she was right about this. Celebrities like members of the Kennedy family, Elizabeth Taylor and Princess Grace of Monaco dressed their children in her clothes.

It was also her use of bright, clear colors instead of the popular pastel pinks and blues that drew attention. The use of appliques in whimsical shapes like flowers, animals and butterflies became a signature of her designs. The straight, uninterrupted lines of dresses without waistlines flowed smoothly and allowed freedom of movement. Her influence on fashion for children was recognized when she received the Nieman Marcus award in 1955.

Eventually she was forced to reduce her involvement due to ill health and Teri Shapiro, the head designer, took over. Teri learned through her years of working under her guidance that designs needed to be fresh and trendy without losing the iconic feel. Trends were important but following fads was not. This philosophy served the company well through the years and it managed to weather some ups and downs, coming out stronger than ever.

The brand includes a choice of baby clothes, such as rompers and dresses, made of finest quality cotton blends that will keep a little one comfortable and cool. A timeless collection of fabulous dresses, shorts, swimwear and other staples for toddlers and tweens are all embellished with delightful appliques, like butterflies, zoo animals and flowers. The patterns on fabrics include playful stripes and prints. There is careful detailing like cheerful dots and colors on shoulder straps and flowers on puff pockets.

The company is based in Milwaukie and has always sold their clothing through stores like Saks Fifth Avenue and Nieman Marcus. This has changed with the advent of internet based shopping. The clothing is still available through these stores and others but with websites on which orders can be placed, they are now available to a much wider market.

These items are very practical as they are all machine washable and lined. Some are reversible like seersucker overalls with zoo animal appliques or a colorful seersucker dress. A practical playsuit for a baby has elasticized leg openings and a snap button gusset. Some of the embellishments like flower pins can be removed for easy washing.

The right outfit for every child and occasion can be found amongst the Florence Eiseman collection. Since the first collection was presented in 1945, the brand has received countless awards and continues to impress with its careful attention to detail. The classic designs are perfect for creating memories and may even be passed down from generation to generation.




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