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Bill Blass

1922 – 2002

American fashion designer

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About Bill Blass

Lived 1922 – 2002 (aged 79). Bill Blass was an American fashion designer.

Retirement and death In 1999, Blass sold Bill Blass Limited for $50 million to Michael Groveman and retired to his home in New Preston, Connecticut. Blass, a longtime heavy smoker, was diagnosed with oral/tongue cancer in 2000, not long after he began writing his memoir. His cancer later developed into throat cancer, resulting in his death on June 12, 2002, ten days away from his 80th birthday.

Quotes "The beauty of being able to draw, or paint, from an early age is that you never feel trapped, least of all by your immediate circumstances."

"When in doubt, wear red."

"Fashion can be bought by anybody; style takes discernment, it has to do with individuality."

"Sometimes the eye gets so accustomed that if you don't have a change, you're bored. It's the same with fashion, you know. And that, I suppose, is what style is about."

"Simplicity is the soul of modern elegance."

Publications Dining in Manhattan Cookbook: A Collection of Gourmet Recipes for Complete Meals from Manhattan's Finest Restaurants, with Joan G. Hauser (1983) Bare Blass, edited by Cathy Horyn (2002)

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Parsons School of Design, South Side High School
Awards
Coty Award; CFDA Lifetime Achievement Award; Fashion Institute of Technology
Also known as
William Ralph Blass

People in Bill Blass's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Bill Blass's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Bill Blass?

American fashion designer (1922-2002)

When was Bill Blass born?

Bill Blass was born on 22 June 1922 in Fort Wayne.

When did Bill Blass die?

Bill Blass died on 12 June 2002 in New Preston.

What was Bill Blass's occupation?

Bill Blass was a fashion designer.

What nationality was Bill Blass?

Bill Blass was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Bill Blass

· Wikidata: Q861953

· DBpedia: Bill Blass

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Bill Blass. https://biography.guide/bill-blass/

MLA: "Bill Blass." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/bill-blass/.

Chicago: "Bill Blass." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/bill-blass/.

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