Item 44 - Joan Hansen interview about Michael Daroff and Botany, 1984 May 08

Joan Hansen is an American businesswoman. Hansen’s career began at Revlon International and Thomas Supply & Equipment of Canada as Advertising and Merchandising Manager. She then became Director of Licensing for Christian Dior NewYork/Paris. Hansen was appointed President of Botany Products Corporation overseeing the selection of Botany licensees. Before starting her own company, she was Director of Licensing for Fruit of the Loom, BVD and Vice President of Northwest Licensing, a subsidiary of Northwest Industries, the parent company of FOL and BVD. Hansen is a founding member of LIMA (Licensing Industry Merchandisers Association). She founded Joan Hansen and Company in 1978.

"Mildred Finger Haines ... helped shape fashion tastes for four decades as a top buyer for department stores and a consultant to clothes makers and retailers.... From the late 1940's through the late 1960's, Mrs. Haines, known throughout her career as Mildred Finger, was a buyer of ready-to-wear at Macy's, Ohrbach's and Bergdorf Goodman, and was one of New York City's most often cited taste makers. At Bergdorf's, in particular, she was noted for bringing European styles to American consumers. She later became Vice President of Charles of the Ritz, headed fashion merchandising for Yves St. Laurent and became an independent consultant, with clients like the Limited and Arthur D. Little. Suffering from multiple sclerosis, she retired in 1986. In succeeding years, she frequently contributed her knowledge of the fashion industry to the oral history projects of the American Jewish Committee and the Fashion Institute of Technology...." New York Times Obituary, 1995