Sophie of Saks Fifth Avenue was born Sophie Haas in 1898 in Houston, Texas. She attended Agnes Scott College in Atlanta. In the late 1920's she moved to New York and was hired as a stylist at Saks Fifth Avenue. Shortly thereafter she was asked to revamp their foundering custom-order Salon Moderne. She was successful in this endeavor, as well as with her line of ready-to-wear, Sophie Originals. In 1931 whe married Adam Gimbel, who was president of Saks Fifth Avenue from 1926 to 1969. Sophie did not sketch her designs--she used sketchers to assist with visualizing her ideas, or purchased designs from other designers and modified them. Her clientele included Claudette Colbert, Rose Kennedy and Lady Bird Johnson.
From the description of Sophie of Saks Fifth Avenue sketch collection, 1940-1969. (Fashion Institute of Tech Library). WorldCat record id: 773502503
