America in the 1940s was a time of change for women, as they gained more power and brought to life their entrepreneurial spirit. In Cleveland, that meant importing fashion by four Jewish women who had immigrated to New York at the turn of the century.
In celebration of the Declaration of Independence’s 250th anniversary next year, dubbed America 250, the Western Reserve Historical Society will open an exhibit called “American Dream: Immigrants and the Business of Fashion” on Oct. 17.
The exhibit focuses on the designs of well-known fashion designers Hattie Carnegie, Irene Zerner Gothé, Nettie Rosenstein and Pauline Trigère. Though they lived and worked in New York City, their fashions were widely worn by famous Clevelanders and sold in iconic local department stores such as Halle Brothers, Higbee’s and Sterling-Lindner.
“The reason I wanted to do this show was because of America 250,” Patty Edmonson, curator of costume and textiles at the Western Reserve Historical Society, told the Cleveland Jewish News. “What’s more American than immigration?”
Each state is being encouraged by the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission and the nonprofit America 250 Foundation to celebrate and commemorate this anniversary by reflecting the unique character and contributions over 250 years.
Each of the four designers helped bring Paris-inspired fashion to America from the 1930s to the 1980s, a sample of which will be on display at WRHS.
“By choice and circumstance, Americans were cut off from French fashion. American designers became as celebrated as European designers and it didn’t matter that they were born in other countries,” Edmonson said. “Nobody even thought about them not being American born.”
Hattie Carnegie was not of the famous Andrew Carnegie family of the steel industry. Her family was working class and self-made. Hattie Carnegie had a big, diversified business, having provided custom couture and ready-to-wear designs.
Zerner Gothé was the chief designer at the design house of David Gottlieb, who later became her husband. She dressed first lady Eleanor Roosevelt and her designs appeared in popular automobile ads. A smart businesswoman, she licensed patterns of her designs so people could afford to make their own versions of her creations.
Rosenstein was most known for her little black dresses and costume jewelry. A collection of her handbags was gifted to WRHS for the exhibit by the National Council of Jewish Women.
Trigère worked for Carnegie early in her career. Like Rosenstein, she draped fabric over the body to create her designs, rather than drawing them.
“These women knew how to design what women wanted to wear, but also how to make women feel beautiful,” Edmonson said.
The exhibit runs until Sept. 6, 2026.
The exhibit is on display at the Cleveland History Center at 10825 East Blvd. in Cleveland’s University Circle neighborhood, which is open from noon to 8 p.m. on Thursdays, and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Shannon Mortland is a freelance journalist.
link