Christie’s New York Presents ‘Bill Blass: American Elegance’

Christie’s will present “Bill Blass: American Elegance,” an exhibition and auction honoring Bill Blass, the designer who played a crucial role in defining American style and dressed some of the most influential women in American public life.

Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush, Brooke Astor, Gloria Vanderbilt, Babe Paley, CZ Guest and Nan Kempner were among the women who wore the designer’s clothes. Blass died in 2002 at the age of 79.

The auction is open Sept. 9 to 23, with a preview of select highlights on view at Christie’s New York Sept. 8 to 13 and the full exhibition on view at Blass’ New York town house at 3 East 44th Street from Sept. 18 to 22. There will be 129 pieces up for auction.

The auction and exhibition includes vintage pieces, fashion sketches and personal letters from across Blass’ career, all of which outline his enduring influence and impact in shaping modern American style in the 20th century.

Among the personal letters is one from Giorgio Armani, which reads, “Dear Mr. Blass, Although we have never had the chance to really see each other, I wanted to tell you how much I appreciated the fact that you have always over the years complimented my work. It was brought to my attention that you complimented my work once again during a luncheon you held in Los Angeles. I am very grateful for that. Should you ever come to Milan, please let me know. I would love to meet you or invite you for lunch. Thank you and best regards, Giorgio.”

In addition to Armani, there are letters from such designers as Geoffrey Beene, Ralph Lauren, Elsa Schiaparelli, Pauline Trigère, Emanuel Ungaro and Vera Wang, as well as Diane Vreeland.

According to Christie’s, the auction is expected to realize in excess of $150,000, with funds going to the Bill Blass company.

Blass moved to New York as a teenager from Fort Wayne, Ind., in the late 1930s to study fashion and worked for decades. In 1970, he established his own label, becoming the first American designer to step out from behind the anonymity of the Seventh Avenue workroom and build a fashion house around his own persona.

Peter Som, a curatorial consultant for the project as well as a former creative director of Bill Blass, said, “The decades that Bill Blass spent designing — from the late 1950s through the end of the century — were decades in which the American woman was reinventing herself at lightning speed. She was entering the workforce in numbers that had no precedent, moving from the living room to the boardroom, from the charity luncheon to the corner office. The question of what she should look like while doing all of this — how to dress for a life that no longer fit neatly into any single category — was one that Blass answered.”

A gold metallic beaded Klimt dress ensemble, Bill Blass, fall 1995.

Peter Kim and Bill Kim, owners of the Bill Blass estate, said in a statement, “This auction represents far more than a collection of fashion — it is a celebration of Bill Blass, his remarkable life, and the lasting impact he had on American style. Bill stands among the most important architects of modern American fashion, with an extraordinary influence extending well beyond the clothes he designed. He represents elegance, sophistication, wit and an unmistakably American point of view. As owners and stewards of the Bill Blass estate, we feel an enormous responsibility to preserve his legacy while also introducing it to a new generation and we could not be more delighted to open the archives this fall through Christie’s and allow collectors, fashion historians and admirers from around the world an opportunity to own a tangible piece of history.”

Elizabeth Seigel, head of private and iconic collections at Christie’s New York, said, “We are delighted to present ‘Bill Blass: American Elegance’ this September during NYFW, a sale and exhibition that will delight fashion lovers of all generations, with an array of items that encompass the breadth of Blass’ timeless legacy, from impeccably tailored daywear to glamorous evening looks that embody his signature blend of ease and refinement. The pieces in this sale truly reflect Mr. Blass’ unwavering commitment to craftsmanship, clarity of line, and the understated luxury that defined his career. We are particularly honored to bring this to life among the yearlong celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary, paying tribute to a brilliant American creative who was instrumental in laying the groundwork for fashion as we know it today.”

Among the sale highlights is a red, black and brown plaid suit identical to a look worn by Nancy Reagan deplaning from Air Force One with her husband, President Ronald Reagan, in February 1988 during her tenure as first lady, estimated to sell between $800 and $1,200, and a multicolored Michael Vollbracht for Bill Blass gown from the spring 2004 ready-to-wear show, identical to a look worn by Beyoncé Knowles-Carter for InStyle magazine, with an estimate of between $3,000 and $5,000.

There is also a Bill Blass metallic gold tone long-sleeved gown from the late 20th century, estimated to sell for between $1,500 and $2,500. Other dresses include an embellished suede skirt suit, as seen on Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly in “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006) by Michael Vollbracht for Bill Blass from fall 2004, with an estimate of $2,000 to $3,000. A sequin embroidered Matisse sleeveless cocktail dress from the spring 1988 collection has an estimate of $2,000 to $3,000, and a gold metallic braided, Klimt dress ensemble from Bill Blass, fall 1995, has an estimate of $1,500 to $2,500.

In explaining how he decided which of Blass’ pieces to auction, Som told WWD, “We wanted the selection to tell the story of Mr. Blass’ evolution as a designer — not just his most iconic, recognizable moments, but the pieces that reveal how he thought. I worked closely with the Christie’s team going through the archive together, looking for the through-lines: the impeccable menswear tailoring, the ease he brought to American sportswear, the way he could design an evening dress that was both effortless and entrance-making, how he defined true American glamour over five decades. Every piece in the auction earns its place because it represents a specific idea Mr. Blass was working through at that moment in his career. It’s something I’ve had the honor to trace closely, having started my career as an assistant designer under Mr. Blass and returned a decade later as creative director of the house — it’s been a thrill to highlight the breadth of his work in this way.”

Som noted that the archive is extensive and this auction represents a selection, not the full scope of his output. “Choosing what to include was a real collaboration with the Christie’s team, pulling from both their expertise on the market side, and my own knowledge of Mr. Blass’ work. Preserving his legacy and making sure the right pieces end up in the right hands, whether that’s collectors, institutions, or designers who’ll be inspired by them, is something I care deeply about.”

Elaborating on what made him choose the specific gowns and dresses that he did, Som said, “Mr. Blass had this singular ability to balance opulence with ease, so a gown never felt like a costume, it felt like you. A few of the Matisse-inspired pieces are real highlights for me, where you can see him translating that same sense of color and movement into cut and construction. The gowns in particular reflect his gift for engineering: incredible construction hidden under what looks effortless. Those are the pieces I think still feel modern — they feel as fresh and glamorous today as they did then — and that’s a true testament to Mr. Blass’ incredible talent and vision.”