With an interview of Andrew Goodman conducted by Bob Riley in 1977 as the root, Estelle Ellis and Valerie Steele extended this oral history of Bergdorf Goodman in 1997 by interviewing others who worked for Bergdorf Goodman and knew Andrew Goodman.
Jeannette Jarnow, former Chair of the Fashion Buying and Merchandising Department (FBM), discusses the small and intimate nature of FIT when she joined in 1956. She discusses the founding of the school by Morris Haft, Virginia Pope, and a handful of fashion industry insiders. She then describes the birth of the FBM department thanks to an endowment by Bergdorf Goodman as well as close relationships with Lord & Taylor, Abraham and Strauss, and Bloomingdale's. Jarnow touches on influential people from each department store and then goes into the student demographic make-up of the 1950s. Jarnow describes the changes at FIT over her 38 year career such as the former dress code. She then describes fundraising events and field trips to wholesalers and retailers. Jarnow also remembers famous speakers coming to the school such as Yves Saint Laurent and Givenchy. She recalls that Virginia Pope used to take students to the opera and other public events to experience fashion and culture. Jarnow briefly touches on her time as Chair and describes the publication of her book, “Inside the Fashion Business.” Jarnow also emphasizes FIT’s international reach and the vast array of career options alumni have experienced. Finally, she mentions the Oral History of FIT taken by Mildred Finger which was housed in the library.
Jarnow, Jeannette A.This interview is with Jeannette Jarnow, the first chairperson of the Buying and Merchandising Department at the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, N.Y.). Jarnow describes her professional ascent at the department store, Abraham & Straus, up to 1944; when she took a brief break due to her first pregnancy. Jarnow describes the path that led her to seek out a teaching post at the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, N.Y.). Instead of offering Jarnow a professorial post, Rosalind Snyder invited her to found the Buying and Merchandising Department in 1956. Jarnow describes the challenges of starting a department including the extent of publicity efforts for the department as well as for the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, N.Y.) itself, still struggling to make its name known in the Industry. As there were little to no instructional materials available, Jarnow assembled several books such as, “The Mathematics of Retail Merchandising,” and “Inside the Fashion Business,” that would come to be used by other educational institutions as well as by professional training programs. Jarnow briefly theorizes why the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, N.Y.) was not as impacted by student unrest in the 1960s before launching into a depiction of the industry seminars her department held as a service to the Industry. She continues on to discuss the evolution of merchandising with the rise of chain stores, and the ways in which the Fashion Institute of Technology (New York, N.Y.) stays on top of industry trends. Finally Jarnow lists a host of successful alumni such as Sidney Biddle Barrow, the “Mayflower Madam,” who became famous for founding the most expensive call-girl operation in New York City.
This interview opens with Mollie Parnis talking about her latest project, a prize for three young journalists that she began in memory of her son. She then segues into the origins of her company and her early biography. She commenced her career by designing blouses after being frustrated at the quality of the designs while working in a design showroom on Madison Avenue. The Parnis-Livingston company began in a studio Seventh Avenue about five-years after Mollie Parnis and Leon Livingston married in 1930, with Mollie designing and Leon managing the business needs. After her husband died in 1960 she closed the business for three-months. Diana Vreeland convinced Mollie to stay open by putting two of her sketches in Harper’s Bazaar. The name of the business remained Parnis-Livingston until 1970 when it changed to Mollie Parnis. She now has three divisions: Mollie Parnis, Inc.; Mollie Parnis Studio; and Mollie Parnis at Home. Upon success, she began doing philanthropic work, including a grant foundation called “Mollie Parnis Dress up Your Neighborhood”; scholarships at FIT and Parsons; and the aforementioned journalistic prizes. Topics touched on include: the impersonalization of the current fashion industry; her friendship with various First Ladies, including Mamie Eisenhower, Lady Bird Johnson, and Nancy Reagan; how the changes in the industry have necessitated changes in her business-model, including the prevalence of licensing from designers in the 1980s.
Parnis, MolliePhotocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retail store Abraham & Straus, including articles from Chain Store Age and Crain's New York Business.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retail store Alexander's, including articles from Chain Store Age and Discount Merchandiser. Folder also includes pamphlets, booklets, and memos from Alexander's.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Allied Stores, including articles from Business Week and Chain Store Age. Folder also includes a promotional booklet and an annual report from Allied Stores.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Associated Dry Goods, primarily from Chain Store Age. Folder also includes an annual report from Associated Dry Goods.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer B. Altman, including articles from Crain's New York Business and NRMA Ad/Pro. Folder also includes a booklet covering the first 100 years of B. Altman's history.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Bamberger's, including articles from HFD, as well as a promotional pamphlet.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Barney's, including articles from Chelsea Clinton News. Folder also includes a promotional brochure and a catalog.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Bergdorf Goodman, including articles from Crain's New York Business.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Bloomingdale's, including articles from Body Fashions/Intimate Apparel and HFD.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Bloomingdale's, including articles from HFD and numerous press releases for Bloomingdale's "Fête de France."
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Bloomingdale's, including numerous press releases for "Japan at Bloomingdale's."
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Bonwit Teller, including articles from California Apparel News.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Bullock's, including articles from California Apparel News.
Eight photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Burdines, in addition to three pamphlets produced by the retailer.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Carter Hawley Hale, including articles from Business Week and California Apparel News. Folder also contains a Carter Hawley Hale Fact Book from 1983.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Dayton Hudson, including articles from Business Week and Chain Store Age. Folder also contains the complete Retail Ad Week award issue dedicated to Dayton's, from 1978.
Five photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Dillard's, in addition to two company updates from Prudential Securities.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Federated Department Stores, including articles from Chain Store Age. Folder also contains three annual reports and a report from the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Filene's, including articles from HFD.
Ten photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles
concerning the retailer Fiorucci, in addition to a "Fiorucci
Image" promotional booklet.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning
the retailer Gimbels, including articles from Chain Store
Age and HFD. Folder also contains three Gimbels
promotional booklets.
Six photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles
concerning the retailer Goldblatt's, including articles from
Chain Store Age.
Six photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles
concerning the retailer Hammacher Schlemmer, including articles from HFD.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning
the retailer Harrods.
Two photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Hudson's Bay Company, in addition to a 1977 promotional booklet: "A Brief History of the Hudson's Bay Company."
Eight photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer I. Magnin, including articles from California Apparel news.
Four photocopied and laminated articles concerning the retailer Jacobson's, in addition to an employment information sheet.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer J.C. Penney, including articles from Chain Store Age and the Wall Street Journal.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer J.C. Penney, including articles from Chain Store Age. Folder also contains an annual report from June 30, 1988.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer J.C. Penney. Folder also contains a promotional company profile booklet and two company updates from Prudential Securities.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Jordan Marsh, including articles from HFD. Folder also contains promotional materials.
Five photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer J.W. Mays, including two articles from Crain's New York Business.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer K-Mart, including articles from Chain Store Age and Discount Store News.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer K-Mart, including articles from Discount Merchandiser and Discount Store News.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer K-Mart, especially articles from Discount Merchandiser. Folder also contains financial reports from Prudential Securities and Dean Witter.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Korvettes, including articles from Discount Merchandiser and Discount Store News.
Collected, photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Loehmann's, including articles from Crain's New York Business.
Fourteen photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Lord & Taylor, primarily articles from Chain Store Age.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Macy's, including articles from Chain Store Age and HFD.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Macy's, including articles from Crain's New York Business. Folder also contains promotional materials and an annual report.
Collected, photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Marshall Field, including articles from the Wall Street Journal. Folder also contains typed information including important dates in the store's history, architectural features, and a partial list of reference material.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer May Co., including articles from Chain Store Age and HFD. Folder also contains an O'Neil's promotional booklet and financial reports from Dean Witter and Prudential Securities.
Seven photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer J.W. Mays, including two articles from Barron's.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Mervyn's, including articles from California Apparel News and HFD. Folder also contains a Mervyn's press kit.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Montgomery Ward, including articles from Chain Store Age and the Wall Street Journal.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Neiman-Marcus, including articles from California Apparel News and Men's Apparel News.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Nordstrom, including articles from California Apparel News and Men's Apparel News.
Three photocopied and/or pasted articles concerning the retailer Ohrbach's, as well as a promotional booklet for their executive training program.
Eight photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Sakowitz, including articles from Chain Store Age.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Saks Fifth Avenue, including articles from California Apparel News and Men's Apparel News. Folder also contains a 35th anniversary Saks News (1959) and an undated Saks promotional booklet for their executive development program.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Sears, including articles from Business Week and Wall Street Journal. Folder also contains "Merchant to the Millions" promotional booklets from 1969 and 1978.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Sears, including articles from Chain Store Age and Wall Street Journal. Folder also contains a "How to Choose and Use Retail Credit" booklet from 1980.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Sears, including articles from Chain Store Age and Wall Street Journal.
Photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Sears, including articles from Business Week and Forbes. Folder also contains "Sears Yesterday & Today," a promotional historical booklet from 1986.
Four photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles concerning the retailer Sy Syms.
Six photocopied, pasted, and laminated articles from Discount Store News concerning the retailer Two Guys. Folder also contains a recruiting letter for 1977 graduates and a pamphlet promoting management training.