The Bergdorf Goodman Custom Salon sketches collection contains 8,976 pencil, ink, and watercolor sketches by staff artists representing clothing and millinery available in Bergdorf's custom salon. These garments were made to order either from designs purchased by special arrangement from the leading coutouriers of the day or from sketches by Bergdorf's then well known in-house designers. Representative designers include Dior, Balenciaga, Halson and Courreges. House designers include Leslie Morris, Mary Gleason, and Bernard Newman. There is a complete run from 1950 to 1969. In addition, there is a representative sampling of sketches from the 1930s and 40s.
In addition to the sketches, the collection contains preliminary manuscripts and galley proofs of Booton Herndon's book Bergdorf's on the Plaza (NY: Alfred A. Knopf, 1956) as well as typescripts of his interviews with and about members of the Goodman family and with and about such key members of the staff as Ethel Frankau, Odna Brandeis, and house designers Bernard Newman, Leslie Morris, and Mary Gleason.
The last series contains the original finding aid for the collection.
This series consists of 8976 clothing sketches from the Bergdorf Goodman Custom Salon from the 1930s to 1969, with the bulk from 1950 to 1969.
Sketches by Adolfo, Fall 1952-Spring 1957
Anonymous sketches, Fall 1957-Spring 1958
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1951-Fall 1951
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1951
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1952-Fall 1952
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1952
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1952
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1953
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1953
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1953
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1954
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1954
Anonymous sketches, Fall 1958-Fall 1959
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1954
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1954-Spring 1955
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1955
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1955
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1955
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1956
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1956-Spring 1957
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1957
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1957
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1958
Anonymous sketches, Spring 1960-Spring 1961
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1958
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1959
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1959
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1960
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1960
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1960-Spring 1961
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1961-Spring 1962
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1962
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1962
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1962
Anonymous sketches, Spring 1961-Fall 1964
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1963
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1963
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1963-Spring 1964
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1964
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1964-Spring 1965
Sketches by Leslie, Spring-Fall 1965
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1965-Spring 1966
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1966
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1966
Sketches by Leslie, Spring 1967
Anonymous sketches, Spring 1965-resort 1969; Antonelli sketches, Spring 1953
Sketches by Leslie & Mr. Eric, Fall 1967
Sketches by Leslie, Fall 1967-Spring 1968
Sketches by Mr. Louis, 1940s-Spring 1953
Sketches by Mado, 1930s; Manguin, 1950-Spring 1958
Sketches by Marc, Spring 1951-Fall 1952
Sketches by Marc, Fall 1952
Sketches by Marc, Fall 1953
Sketches by Marc, Spring-Fall 1954
Sketches by Marc, Spring-Fall 1957
Sketches by Marc, Fall 1957
Sketches labeled "Bal.", 1952-Spring 1955 (hats)
Sketches by Marc, Spring 1958; Marce Fall 1959; Marcelline, 1930s