Portrait of Sophie Gimbel
circa 1961
- Collection Overview
- Biographical note
- Administrative Information
- Related Materials
- Keywords for Searching Related Subjects
- Collection Inventory
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Guide to the Portrait of Sophie Gimbel by René Bouché, circa 1961
Collection Overview
- Repository
- Kellen Design Archives
- Creator - Artist
- Bouché, René, 1905-1963
- Creator
- Vogue (New York).
- Title
- Portrait of Sophie Gimbel, circa 1961
- Extent
- 0.1 linear ft: 1 illustration (18 1/2 x 25 inches)
- Summary
- Fashion illustration by René Robert Bouché depicting American fashion designer Sophie Gimbel. The illustration appeared in the April 15, 1961 issue of American Vogue with the caption, "Sophie's sari tactics for short evenings." Signed "RRB" in upper right-hand corner.
Biographical note
Sophie Gimbel (1898-1981) was a stylist and fashion designer for Saks Fifth Avenue's Salon Moderne before marrying Saks' president, Adam L. Gimbel, in 1931. After their marriage, she continued designing under her own label. In 1947, she became the first American fashion designer featured on the cover of Time magazine and, in 1965, she designed Lady Bird Johnson's gown for President Lyndon B. Johnson's inauguration. She retired from Saks Fifth Avenue in 1969.
René Robert Bouché was born in Prague, but spent much of his professional career in France. He was widely associated with French Vogue magazine, for which he contributed fashion illustrations until 1941, when he immigrated to the United States. Bouché continued contributing to American Vogue, in addition to illustrating advertisements for Saks Fifth Avenue and CBS. He was also a sought-after portraitist. René Robert Bouché died in England in 1963.
Administrative Information
Publication Information
Kellen Design Archives April 29, 2011
66 5th Ave./lobby level/
New York, NY, 10011
212.229.5942
archivist@newschool.edu
Use Restrictions
To publish images of material from this collection, permission must be obtained in writing from the Kellen Design Archives. Please contact: archivist@newschool.edu.
Immediate Source of Acquisition note
Donated by Helen O'Hagen, Saks Fifth Avenue executive, 1997.
Related Materials
Other fashion illustrations by René Robert Bouché, including a sketch of Sophie Gimbel being fitted at Saks Fifth Avenue, are held in the Kellen Design Archives' René Bouché fashion illustrations (KA.0038).
Publicity materials for Sophie Gimbel's fashion lines will be found in the Saks Fifth Avenue fashion publicity collection (KA.0018). The Kellen Design Archives also maintains a designer file on Sophie Gimbel.
Keywords for Searching Related Subjects
Corporate Name(s)
- Saks Fifth Avenue (New York, N.Y.).
Genre(s)
- Drawings.
- Portraits.
Personal Name(s)
- Gimbel, Sophie, 1898-1981 -- Pictorial works
Subject(s)
- Fashion designers -- United States -- 20th century -- Pictorial works.
- Fashion drawing.
Collection Inventory
| Title | Box | Folder | ||
| Portrait circa 1961 | k_OSxxx-3 | 3 | ||