Traditionally, all renowned fashion houses, along with clothing collections, create their own perfumes, accessories, and jewelry, albeit in limited quantities. Adele Simpson (1903-1995), the founder and designer of the fashion house on Fifth Avenue in New York City, was no exception. While creating her clothing collections, Adele also designed accessories and jewelry to complement them.

Many-awarded fashion designer, Adele Simpson collaborated with renowned jewelry firms to produce her jewelry. Among them, for example, were “Schreiner of New York” and Schlumberger. They made costume jewelry on Adele Simpson’s designs using sterling silver, gold finish, faceted crystals, multi-color rhinestones and faux pearls.

When she was still Adele Smithline, and studied in the public school on 86th Street, New York City, she learned the tailoring from her father, who had an atelier on Fifth Avenue.

Gershel ready-to-wear fashion house

In addition to her schoolwork, she studied art and worked Saturdays and holidays at the Gershel suit and coat shop. Her first job there was counting buttons, placing them in pouches, and attaching the pouches to the suits or coats.

But in her free time, she sketched clothing designs. Soon, she became a full-time designer at Gershel and a well-paid one at that. But she wasn’t satisfied; she realized she lacked technical skills. So she quit and invested her savings in sewing classes at Pratt Institute.

Mary Lee firm

Studying day and night, she completed a three-year course at Pratt in a year and a half. In 1928, she became a designer for Alfred Lasher, whose firm on 7th Avenue was called Mary Lee. One day, Adele was in Lasher’s shop when a young silk salesman, Wesley Simpson, approached her.

He first glanced at her—all 5’4″ of her height—and chuckled. “Don’t get lost under those swathes of fabric,” he said. Later that day, he told a friend, “Today I met my wife.” Four weeks later, they honeymooned in Europe, receiving Lasher’s blessing.

Adele Simpson, Inc

At Lasher’s, Adele Simpson became friends with Eleanor Graham and Joseph Immerman, the production manager. In 1948, when Lasher decided to retire, the three founded a new company, Adele Simpson, Inc., 30 Seventh Avenue, New York City. As equal partners, Adele Simpson became president and designer, Eleanor Graham became vice president and designer, and Joseph Immerman became production manager.

In 1946 Adele Simpson received the coveted Fifth Annual American Fashion Critics Award, and the Neiman-Marcus Award for Distinguished Service in the Field of Fashion.

Adele Simpson costume jewelry appeared in fashion magazines, but very rarely. The jewelry itself was created over a period of only two decades, from the 1940s to the 1960s, and in limited quantities. Today, these pieces, marked with the stylized letters “Adele Simpson,” are extremely rare and expensive, making them highly collectible.

Adele Simpson Jewelry