We're taking the time to highlight some of the fashion designers that made big names for themselves in the last few decades of the 20th century, but have since been somewhat forgotten. It's time to remind everyone and to urge you to watch out for these great labels on your vintage hunts!

Ann Lawrence 

Lawrence was born in 1944 and graduated from the University of New York with a degree in Art History. She married Ken Nahigian who died before his time in 1980. 

She went on to make a big name for herself in 80s evening wear. She was "a designer of flirty, pricey party clothes…..Her designer collections [were full of] fanciful styling, luxurious fabrics and lush ornamentation.” - The Orlando Sentinel. 

She had a showroom on 7th Avenue in New York for over a decade (mid 80s to mid 90s). Her prices ranged from $700-$6,000 (in today's money) for a RTW dress.

She designed 16 gowns at the Bill Clinton inaugural ball in 1992. Her custom dresses were in the range of $10,000 at the time. 

In her later career, she moved to Santa Fe and operated an antiques business there. She also designed many bridal dresses in Santa Fe. She even designed for Ralph Lauren using antique lace. The two were said to be close friends. 

She passed away in 2018. 

We see some wonderful Ann Lawrence pieces passing through our hands from time to time. Ian finds her designs in the estate sales of upper class women in Toronto and the States. He has kept many pieces in the permanent rentals collection. Here are a few of the pieces we have sold in recent years: 

Sophie Sitbon

Sophie Sitbon is a French designer, born in 1961. She graduated from Paris’ Esmode School of Fashion and launched her fashion label in 1985, aiming to provide a simple, high-quality couture look for modern women at affordable prices. Sophie is inspired by glamorous film stars- classic heroines.

Juliette Bincohe wore her dress to the Academy Awards in 1997, as did many other stars over the years. Sophie’s fashion is first and foremost functional. She also describes her look as seductive. 

We have a number of incredible women's pant suits and pants by Sitbon available in the shop. They exemplify her unique approach to women's tailoring inspired by menswear, with feminine touches. 

Sarah Pouliet 

Born Sarah Elizabeth Bale in Montreal in 1928, she worked at the National Ballet of Canada, and was hired as a costume cutter at the Stratford festival in 1953. She married Canadian broadcasting pioneer Jean Pouliot. 

In 1967, she founded Sarah Clothes in Ottawa. Her clientele included Ottawa’s dignitaries and political elites. 

She fell in love with India and its natural textiles culture in the 70s when she had a 24 hour layover in New Delhi. She set up an office there and started creating clothing, decor and home furnishings using Indian printed, dyed and embroidered cottons. She utilized the cottage industry and employed hundreds of people.

Her shop back home was a haven for celebrities and artists. Her business expanded to 6 retail shops in Montreal, Toronto (Yorkville) and Ottawa. Her daughters helped in the management of the retail stores and in design also. 

Her label also sold at Eaton’s, and Henri Bendel’s in New York. Finely pleated cotton shirts and wrap around skirts were some of her trademarks. Everything in natural fibres. Her work was featured in Flare, Chatelaine, the Montreal Gazette and the Globe and Mail. 

Her company closed in 1996 after almost 30 years in business. It defined a pivotal era in Canadian fashion. 

In the 90s, she created an oasis for herself in a Jaipur thatch-roof cottage where she tended her garden and continued to sew her own clothing up until the final years of her life. 

The Royal Ontario Museum holds some of her pieces in their Global Fashion and Textiles department. 

Sarah passed away in June of 2024 at the age of 96. 

We come across the Sarah Clothes label from time to time and we currently have a wonderful pleated cotton embroidered skirt in the shop:

Linda Lundström 

Linda was raised in northern Ontario and studied fashion at Sheridan College in Oakville, before continuing her studies in London (UK) under a scholarship. 

She founded her own fashion label in Toronto in 1974. She had three flagship boutiques and her line was also sold in Hudson’s Bay and Nordstrom.

She is most well known for the Winter coat LAPARKA, which debuted in the 80s. 

She had to sell her business in 2008 during the financial crisis. 

She set up a new RTW label in 2012 called “L designed by Linda Lundstrom”.

In 2016, she created another line with her daughters, a nordic inspired luxury outerwear brand, called Therma Kota. 

She is the recipient of numerous awards including three honoury PhD’s. She was named to the Order of Ontario in 1995 and received the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee medal in 2013. 

She is a champion of ethical manufacturing practises and makes all her clothing in Canada. 

Below are a few examples of the dresses designed by Linda which we have sold in our shop. 

 

*Scans are from ClothingCanadaFashion.ca