collection SC.18 - Andre Studios sketches, 1931-1968

Pearl Alexander Lipman (née Pearl Levy) was the co-owner and designer for the trend forecasting subscription services André Studios and Creator Studios. At the age of twelve, she sold her first designs to children’s wear manufacturer Joseph Love. At seventeen, she started her own business before studying fashion and design at Cooper Union and the Traphagan School. Levy was employed as a designer by coat manufacturer Rubin Endler, Inc. before striking out on her own. In 1930, Levy married Albert Louis “A. L.” Alexander, a police reporter-turned-radio announcer. After her marriage, Levy became known, both personally and professionally, as Pearl Levy Alexander, Pearl L. Alexander and Pearl Alexander. She eventually married a second time, and by the early 1960s was going by Mrs. Pearl Lipman.

André Studios was a sketch, or croquis, subscription service for garment industry professionals, located at 570 Seventh Avenue in New York City. The company was founded by designer Pearl Levy (Pearl Alexander Lipman) and her business partner, salesman Leonard Schwartzbach, sometime during the year 1930. André Studios was one of the many design services which relied heavily on copying and adapting existing models in order to supply a sufficient, up-to-date product to their customers.