Louella Ballerino

Louella Ballerino (née Smith; 1900–1978)[1] was an American fashion designer, best known for her work in sportswear.

Louella Ballerino
Born
Louella Smith

1900 (1900)
Brooklyn, Iowa
Died1978 (aged 77–78)
Alma materUniversity of Southern California
OccupationFashion designer

Biography

Louella Smith was born in Brooklyn, Iowa and her family later moved to Los Angeles.[2] She attended the University of Southern California as an art history major, and worked with MGM costume designer André-ani.[1] She supported her family by selling fashion sketches to wholesale manufacturers. She also studied pattern-making and tailoring at the Frank Wiggins Trade High School. While there she was made a tutor of fashion design, and began to create some of her own designs at a custom dress shop where she worked.[1][3] In the late 1930s, she and a friend established their own business.

In the 1940s, Ballerino became well known as a member of the California Design sportswear movement. Following in the footsteps of Claire McCardell,[4] Ballerino drew inspiration from African, Latin American, Pacific, and Caribbean native styles,[3][5] and helped popularize ethnic garments such as the hopsack dress, midriff top, pollera, and dirndl in the United States.[1][6]

She designed a popular line of swimwear for Seattle manufacturer Jantzen, and went on to become their chief designer in the 1950s.[1][7]

References
  1. "Louella Ballerino". Vintage Fashion Guild. August 20, 2013. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  2. "California Shows the Way When Summer Togs Go Out to Play". The Des Moines Register. June 1, 1947. p. 75. Retrieved December 5, 2016 – via newspapers.com.
  3. Harrison Martin, Richard (1998). "Profiles of Designers". American Ingenuity: Sportswear, 1930s-1970s. New York City: Metropolitan Museum of Art. p. 78. ISBN 9780870998638. Retrieved December 6, 2016 – via Google Books.
  4. Polan, Brenda; Tredre, Roger (October 1, 2009). "Claire McCardell (1905–1958)". The Great Fashion Designers. Berg. p. 213. ISBN 9780857851758. Retrieved December 6, 2016 – via Internet Archive.
  5. "Top five posts of 2011—Louella Ballerino crop top, 1946". Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising. December 30, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2016.
  6. Lynch, Annette; Strauss, Mitchell D. (October 30, 2014). "Pollera". Ethnic Dress in the United States: A Cultural Encyclopedia. Rowman & Littlefield. p. 234. ISBN 9780759121508. Retrieved December 6, 2016 – via Google Books.
  7. "Matinee Group To Close Artist Season Friday". The Indianapolis Star. April 22, 1956. p. 67. Retrieved December 6, 2016 – via newspapers.com.
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