Fashion Group (Seattle, Wash.)

The Fashion Group, Inc. was conceived in 1928 by Edna Wollman Chase, editor-in-chief of Vogue magazine, when she brought together a group of seventeen women interested in the business of fashion. The group became a formal organization in 1930, and founding members included Elizabeth Arden, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Helena Rubinstein. At the time of the 1962 Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World's Fair), Bernice Caverly served locally as president of the Fashion Group of Seattle. She was also Frederick & Nelson's Fashion Director, and the department store's special fashion advisor to the fair. The Interiors and Fashion Exhibit at the 1962 Seattle World's Fair was part of the massive World of Commerce and Industry complex, which spread along the length of Broad Street for over 500 feet. Frederick & Nelson and other Seattle department stores worked with fair planners to develop the Fashion Pavilion exhibits and show. The Fashion Pavilion occupied 9,000 square feet and was designed to stage a fashion show with an adjacent area for exhibiting products from American textile and clothing companies. The theme of the exhibit was "The Miracle of American Fashion," and four daily fashion shows showcased mid-priced women's apparel from twenty clothing companies. Vogue magazine produced the shows and furnished scripts and commentators. The Fashion show area had dressing rooms for models and a stepping stone runway resembling "lily pads" over a 24 x 40 foot perfumed pool sponsored by Revlon, which also provided cosmetics for the models. The scent of Revlon's 4,600 gallon perfumed fountain changed each month. During the fashion shows, Clairol promoted their hair coloring products and Jantzen supplied the "foundation" garments. The 20 minute shows were held at 2, 4, 6, and 8 pm daily, and changed monthly with different clothing to reflect the changing seasons during the 6-month run of the fair.

From the description of Fashion Group of Seattle Century 21 Fashion Show collection, 1961-1962. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 705930285

The Fashion Group, Inc. was conceived in 1928 by Edna Wollman Chase, Editor-in-Chief of Vogue magazine, when she brought together a group of 17 women interested in the business of fashion. The group became a formal organization in 1930, and founding members included Elizabeth Arden, Eleanor Roosevelt and Helena Rubinstein.

At the time of the 1962 Century 21 Exposition (Seattle World’s Fair), Bernice Caverly served locally as President of the Fashion Group of Seattle. She was also Frederick & Nelson’s Fashion Director, and the department store’s special fashion advisor to the fair.

From the guide to the Fashion Group of Seattle Century 21 Fashion Show Collection, 1961-1962, (Museum of History & Industry Sophie Frye Bass Library)