Allen County, Indiana Genealogy

Curator's Tour: Bill Blass by the Fort Wayne Museum of Art posted July 7, 2022 on YouTube
Curators take you on a new gallery tour each month. From specialized and personal points of view, curators offer unique perspectives on all FWMoA exhibits. Enjoy this digital Curator's Tour of Bill Blass: Fort Wayne's Fashion Designer! In honor of his 100th birthday, the Fort Wayne Museum of Art is proud to present Bill Blass: Fort Wayne’s Fashion Designer.
Born and raised in Fort Wayne, Blass’ signature simple yet striking designs are not only distinctly American—they are clearly tied to his upbringing in the relaxed and conservative Midwest. The son of a dressmaker, Blass grew up sketching in his modest home on Calhoun Street and taking classes at the Fort Wayne Art School. Although his journey from small-town army trooper to leading designer was not quick nor easy, his impressive 50-year career in the fashion industry exemplifies in many ways the American Dream.
This first ever exhibition of Blass’ designs in Fort Wayne takes viewers on a journey of his career from the 1950s to the 2000s. The selections displayed not only demonstrate the shift and craft of fashion throughout these decades, but also the development of Blass’ no-fuss Midwest-American style.
Be sure to view the other segment of this two-part exhibition, located at the History Center, which focuses on Blass’ youth in Fort Wayne, his military achievements in the Ghost Army, and his contributions to marketing and branding. More information on this city-wide celebration can be found at the Bill Blass: 100 Days of Bill Blass Facebook Page
This exhibition is curated by Jenna Gilley, Associate Curator of Exhibitions, and made possible by loans from the Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection, Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design, Indiana University. This exhibition is sponsored by the Bill Blass 100th Anniversary Group.
This exhibit is on display at the Fort Wayne Museum of Art from June 22 - September 18, 2022. 

June 22, 1922 to June 12, 2002. Graduated from South Side High School in 1939. A famous fashion designer, he received the Coty award five times - in 1961, 1963, 1968, 1970 and 1971. Born William Ralph Blass [June 22] in 1922, was the only son of Ralph Aldrich Blass, a traveling hardware salesman who committed suicide when his son was five years old, and his wife, the former Ethyl Easter Keyser (died 1952), a dressmaker. He had one sister, Virginia Mae (born 1920). In his autobiography Blass wrote that the margins in his school books were filled with sketches of Hollywood-inspired fashions instead of notes. At fifteen, he began sewing, selling evening gowns for $25 each to a New York manufacturer. At 17 he had saved up enough money to move to Manhattan and study fashion. He excelled in his fashion studies immediately and at 18 was the first male to win Mademoiselle's Design for Living award. He spent his salary of $30 a week on clothing, shoes, and elegant meals. In 1942 Blass enlisted in the army. He was assigned to the 603rd Camouflage Battalion with a group of writers, artists, sound engineers, theater technicians, and other creative professionals. Their mission was to fool the German Army into believing the Allies were positioned in fake locations. They did this by using recordings, dummy tanks, and other false materials. Copied from Bill Blass (designer) on Wikipedia. In the early '70s, fashion designer Bill Blass returned to his hometown for the first time in 25 years. On September 29, 1971, Bill Blass returned to Fort Wayne ahead of a local fashion show that included his latest looks. See newspaper article.

1. The Bill Blass Archive WILLIAM R. BLASS (JUNE 22, 1922 - JUNE 12, 2002) at The Genealogy Center at the Allen County Public Library in Fort Wayne, Indiana. From a December 23, 2022 post by Genealogy Center on Facebook with photos staing: It's #FashionFriday! These images come from our newest digital collection, The Bill Blass Archive. William R. (Bill) Blass was a Fort Wayne native and an American fashion designer who was known for designing clothes that embodied a brand of elegance for the modern woman that was both relaxed and chic. This archive was initiated in 2022 during a centennial celebration of the birth of the fashion designer. Check out the collection, including interviews, videos and images, here: https://billblassarchive.my.canva.site/.
2. Dress, 2-Piece on the Smithsonian National Museum of American History blog.
3. He counted among his clients Nancy Reagan and Mrs. Henry Kissinger from Legendary Locals of Fort Wayne, by Randolph L. Harter, Craig S. Leonard discussion August 14, 2015 on You know you've lived in Fort Wayne too long when... Private Facebook group.
4. Bill Blass Biography Business Leader, Fashion Designer (1922–2002) on biography.com.
5. Inside Fashion: Bill Blass, 1983 YouTubevideo posted April 8, 2017 on Design Week Fort Wayne on Facebook.
6. Bill Blass: The Forgotten Story of an All-American Classic How a Fort Wayne Native Branded the Iconic American Image and Why Modern Consumers Don’t Know His Name by Niclas Hulting published April 20, 2017 on design week fort wayne and posted April 24, 2017 on Design Week Fort Wayne on Facebook.
7. Discussed September 16, 2018 on You are positively from Fort Wayne, if you remember... Archived group only visible to existing members on Facebook.
8. Fort Wayne Fashion Icon Bill Blass by K Thompson posted December 19, 2018 on Articulate from the Fort Wayne Museum of Art.
9. Bill Blass returns to city for fashion show in 1971 on Sept. 29, 1971, Blass returned to Fort Wayne ahead of a local fashion show that included his latest looks by Corey McMaken published February 28, 2019 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
10. Guest blog: Bill Blass’ fashion designing dreams began in Indiana hometown by Meghan Smith published June 19, 2020 at the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
11. Cpl William (Bill) Ralph Blass, U.S. Army (1943-1945) discusses his role in the Ghost Army in World War II on the Together We Served blog. S.1404 - Ghost Army Congressional Gold Medal Act on Congress.gov website. Ghost Army Veterans Bill Blass on ghostarmy.com. June 22, 2019 post on The Ghost Army on Facebook. March 9, 2022 post on Great Memories and History of Fort Wayne Private Facebook Group.
12. Bill Blass on Military-historyfandom.com.
13. The Fort Wayne Museum of Art sponsored the Bill Blass Blast - 100 Days of Bill Blass celebrating his 100th birthday June 22, 2022 on Facebook.
14. Bill Blass: Fashion designer and member of the Ghost Army published on May 12, 2022 on VAnantage Point blogs.va,gov shared May 28, 2022 on Bill Blass Blast - 100 Days of Bill Blass on Facebook.
15. BILL BLASS' PLACE IN HISTORY at Visit Fort Wayne.
16. Bill Blass Bridge - a Whipple truss bridge built in 1894 by the Canton Bridge Company over the St. Mary’s River on Bostick Road on the city’s south side with help from Allen County Commissioners now has an iconic name – the Bill Blass Bridge from a June 9, 2022 post by Bill Blass Blast - 100 Days of Bill Blass on Facebook.
17. Bill Blass exhibit honors late fashion icon, city native by May Wilkins published June 12, 2022 in The Journal Gazette newspaper.
18. How much do you know about Bill Blass? Fort Wayne honors its fashion entrepreneur who beat the odds by Kara Hackett posted June 22, 2022 on Input Fort Wayne.

19. June 22, 2022 by The History Center on Facebook:

    Today would have been the 100th birthday of famous fashion designer, Ghost Army soldier, and Fort Wayne native Bill Blass. Featured here are several images from his childhood in Fort Wayne. In Fort Wayne’s Fashion Designer. The exhibit opens today and runs through the end of September. #sociallyhistory honor of his 100th birthday, the Fort Wayne History Center is celebrating Bill Blass with its portion of the citywide showcase Bill Blass:

    outh Side High School in the background.

20. American Success Story And Designer Bill Blass Turns 100 by Beth Herman posted June 22, 2022 on The Federalist.com.

21. August 26, 2023 post by theHistoric 07 District - Fort Wayne on Facebook:

    Earlier this summer, multiple projects were announced that will create a better platform to share the impact a Fort Wayne native had on the world. It includes a mural, a Ghost Army Exhibit, archives at the library, and more. Fashion, France, and Fort Wayne. Today is the story of Fort Wayne's famous fashion designer, Bill Blass. Read below for more.

    Born in 1922 to Ralph and Ethyl Blass, Bill grew up at 3618 South Calhoun Street, across from South Side High School. Bill lost his father early, and Ethyl raised him and his older sister Virginia alone. Undoubtedly, having a single mother who worked as a dressmaker impacted Bill's sense of fashion design and entrepreneurship. Bill Graduated from South Side High School but soon left for New York City.

    Although he made an immediate impact in the fashion world by being the first male to win the Mademoiselle's Design for Living award, his career in fashion took a turn due to World War II. Enlisting in 1942, Blass found himself as a member of the Ghost Army. Their story was only declassified in 1996 but highlights how Blass may have used his unique skills to fight against the Germans in WWII.

    The Ghost Army was a 1,100-man unit with one mission: To mislead Hitler's forces concerning the size and location of Allied forces to give actual units more flexibility in their missions. During the war, the Ghost Army carried out more than 20 deception campaigns, putting on a "traveling road show" using inflatable tanks, sound trucks, fake radio transmissions, and more. The soldiers were recruited from art schools, advertising agencies, and other occupations that encouraged creative thinking.

    Once the war was over, Blass came back to New York to establish his fashion career. Throughout the next fifty years, Blass was involved in revolutionizing the fashion industry in the United States. He helped found the Council of Fashion Designers of America, was one of the first Americans to start a menswear line, and even participated in The Battle of Versailles Fashion Show. The Fashion Show was a battle between French and American designers, where the American designers stunned the audience and dethroned France as the world leader in fashion design.

    While Bill passed away in 2002, he amassed a $60 million+ fortune in his career. His wealth eventually went to some of the most important causes, such as the NYC Library, IU's Fashion Institute, economic relief for September 11th victims and families, and multiple museums. Before his death, Bill reflected on his life's work. "All my experiences, all my yearnings, have been those of a typical American boy becoming a typical American man, except that my focus was on clothes rather than on oil drilling or banking or some other great commodity," he wrote in summation. "It was a typical American success story after all."

    Art This Way - Mural Coming to FW

    South Side High School Alumni Association

    Historic Oakdale Neighborhood

22. November 3, 2023 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

    Happy #FashionFriday! Explore these early sketches created by the talented fashion designer Bill Blass, who hailed from Fort Wayne. Remarkably, these sketches date back to when Blass was just 15 years old!

    Discover more from the Bill Blass collection in our Community Album by visiting: The Bill Blass ArchiveWilliam R. Blass (June 22, 1922 - June 12, 2002)

23. December 20, 2023 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

    It's #waybackwednesday! Check out this childhood Christmas sketch from Fort Wayne native and fashion designer Bill Blass The sketch was created between 1925 and 1930.

    Explore our Bill Blass archive here: The Bill Blass Archive William R. Blass (June 22, 1922 - June 12, 2002)

24. On Thursday, Fort Wayne native Bill Blass will be posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his WWII service...

    Posted by 89.1 WBOI on Tuesday, March 19, 2024

    Tuesday, March 19, 2024 post by 89.1 WBOI on Facebook:

    On Thursday, Fort Wayne native Bill Blass will be posthumously awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his WWII service as part of the secret Ghost Army.

    To learn more, see the full story by WBOI's Rebecca Green.

    Fort Wayne native Bill Blass honored posthumously for WWII service

25. Today, WWII veterans receive a Congressional Gold Medal for their Role in the Ghost Army. 🇺🇸 Bill Blass, Fort Wayne...

    Posted by Genealogy Center on Thursday, March 21, 2024

    Thursday, March 21, 2024 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

    Today, WWII veterans receive a Congressional Gold Medal for their Role in the Ghost Army.

    Bill Blass, Fort Wayne native and fashion designer served in this unit. The unit was comprised of actors, directors, costume designers, prop makers, and sound engineers who deceived the Nazis into thinking that Allied forces were larger and located in places where they were not actually present.

    View these Ghost Army photos and more in our Bill Blass Collection: The Bill Blass Archive William R. Blass (June 22, 1922 - June 12, 2002)

26. As we mentioned in our last post, the Ghost Army which Bill Blass was a part of during WWII, was recently honored with...

    Posted by Bill Blass Blast - 100 Days of Bill Blass on Saturday, March 30, 2024

    Saturday, March 30, 2024 post by Bill Blass Blast - 100 Days of Bill Blass on Facebook:

    As we mentioned in our last post, the Ghost Army which Bill Blass was a part of during WWII, was recently honored with the Congressional Gold Medal.

    It took a lot of effort by many - and in particular, so proud of our partners at The Ghost Army, the Veterans National Memorial Shrine and Museum that highlighted the Ghost Army and several of our Bill Blass Committee members that got the joy of attending!

    Check out these pictures of the ceremony and the medal.

    #ghostarmy #BillBlass #goldmedal

27. Check out our Bill Blass Collection! 🎉 Dive into the world of this legendary fashion designer, born right here in Fort...

    Posted by Genealogy Center on Friday, April 19, 2024

    Friday, April 19, 2024 post by the Genealogy Center on Facebook:

    Check out our Bill Blass Collection! Dive into the world of this legendary fashion designer, born right here in Fort Wayne. Discover original sketches, wartime photographs from his involvement of the Ghost Army of WWII, iconic fashion moments, and exclusive interviews from those who knew him. Explore the archive now: The Bill Blass ArchiveWilliam R. Blass (June 22, 1922 - June 12, 2002)

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