Florence Eiseman

Florence Feinberg Eiseman (1899–1988) was an American fashion designer specializing in children's clothing. She launched the Florence Eiseman childrenswear business in 1945, which became one of Wisconsin's leading fashion brands.

Biography Florence Feinberg was born in Minneapolis on September 27, 1899. Quitting college after a year, she trained as a stenographer before marrying Laurence Eiseman and moving with him to Milwaukee where they had two sons.

Despite her slight build (she was only 4'10 tall) and apparent shy and retiring nature, Eiseman could also be outspoken and direct in business and when dealing with other people. Their first big order came from the Chicago department store Marshall Field's in 1945. The buyer at Marshall Field's, Ann Lehman, became an important figure in Eiseman's life, giving her crucial advice on how to design for children's figures. In 1985, Stanley Marcus said of Eiseman that she had courage in her belief that parents who appreciated good clothes would also wish their children to have good clothing, and that she "defined the market." Eiseman also designed clothing specifically for children with disabilities, such as dresses with longer hems that could be worn with crutches and large, easy-to-maneuver buttons. while Elizabeth Taylor and the Rockefeller family were notable customers.

Another retrospective was hosted by the Museum of Wisconsin Art in 2017, titled "Florence Eiseman: Designing Childhood for the American Century." A number of the exhibits came from the collection of Mount Mary University, which holds a large collection of Florence Eiseman pieces as examples of Milwaukee's fashion history and industry. and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.