Carolyn Schnurer

Carolyn Schnurer (born in New York City as Carolyn Goldsand on January 5, 1908 and died on March 15, 1998, in Palm Beach, Florida ) was a fashion designer and a pioneer in American sportswear. Schnurer's designs have been featured in the magazines Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and Life She has also received awards for her designs from Coty, The Cotton Council, International Sportswear, Miami Sportswear, and Boston Sportswear.

As a young woman, Schnurer studied at the New York Training School for Teachers.

Fashion career

Carolyn Schnurer is best known for her beach and play clothes, particularly her cotton bathing suits as opposed to the more common knit bathing suits.

Schnurer was also noted for her culturally-inspired resort collections. According to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Schnurer's globally inspired designs were not costumes, they "typically featured one or two understated thematic details in the cut or fabric, while maintaining a classic American silhouette."

In 1944, Schnurer traveled to the Andes for inspiration. According to the Milwaukee Journal, she covered "15,000 air miles of mountainous roads" during the trip. Schnurer's Andes-inspired collected was presented in 1945 as "Serrano Fashions." The fashions used fabric familiar to American consumers in a range of light and dark colors. The cholo coat and pollera skirt were considered particular highlights of the collection. Ireland, Turkey, Japan, Hong Kong, South Africa, for inspiration. According to Richard Martin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Schunrer was a "devoted researcher" who consulted museum experts before creating her collection. In addition to her own line, Schnurer also designed fabrics for ABC fabrics during the early 1950s.