Designer Mildred Orrick (1906-94) was a leading innovator in fashion from the 1920s to the 1970s. Since she often worked anonymously under the name of other designers, her contributions have largely gone unrecognized. Her innovations include the application of dance leotards as an element of casual clothing, in 1942, and the development of the flared coat soon after the World War II restrictions on fabric use were lifted. Orrick’s sketches display remarkable draughtsmanship and are evidence of her wide-ranging skills and ability to maintain a distinctive style while meeting the needs of an employer.
A classmate of the noted fashion designers Claire McCardell and Joset Walker, Orrick (née Boykin) received her degree in Costume Illustration from Parsons in 1928. She later taught at the school, from 1947 to 1962.
In her first position after graduating from Parsons, Orrick served as assistant designer to Natacha Rambova, the widow of silent film star Rudolph Valentino, who managed a fashion studio in Manhattan from 1928 to 1932. For Rambova, Orrick produced exotic and wildly original designs. As a sideline, she created costumes for Lysistrata (1930) and Hamlet (1931), mounted by the visionary director and designer Norman Bel Geddes.
From 1934 to 1941, Orrick’s primary focus was on completing private commissions for individual clients. Bel Geddes used Orrick’s talents again when he commissioned her to design figurines representing futuristic people for the Futurama exhibit at the New York World’s Fair of 1939. By 1942, she was an illustrator for Harper’s Bazaar. Orrick then went on to sketch and do promotions for her fellow Parsons alumna Joset Walker.
In 1945, under the employment of Janice Milan, Orrick established a line under her own name. It was her first signature collection. Her work with Milan ended in 1955 when the company folded. A brief secondary position with Lynbrook Frocks had begun in 1952, and now with the close of Milan, Orrick acquired additional work with Anne Fogarty, Guild Originals, and R&K Originals. From 1957 to 1959, during Claire McCardell’s illness and after her death, Orrick continued McCardell’s line at Townley Frocks. Orrick was designing for Darlyn Junior in 1960, and two years later, she became the assistant to the president of Anne Fogarty. In 1963, Villager Clothes invited Orrick to design women’s clothing in their collegiate style. She remained with the company until her retirement in the mid-1970s.
The Kellen Archives Center holds the Mildred Orrick Papers (2.2 cubic feet). Sketches form the bulk of the collection, with supplemental material in the form of photographs, research materials, and newspaper and magazine clippings. Unfortunately, many of the sketches are undated or lack identification. The Fashion Design History Collection includes Orrick’s sketches for gloves and shoes; Natacha Rambova, 1928-32; and private commissions, 1934-41.
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