The Florence Eiseman Clothing Brand

By Krystal Branch


Florence Eiseman is an iconic name in the fashion world when it comes to clothing for children. She and her late husband, Laurence, launched the business in 1945 with their first sale of pinafores to Marshall Fields. Her clothes were inspired by the philosophy that one should see the child first and only then notice the clothing. She was a stickler for quality fabrics and workmanship, with many of the clothes initially being finished by hand.

When she and her husband started the business, little girls were often dressed in big skirts and petticoats with many ruffles and frills. She felt that they did not need this embellishment. Her sentiment was that a classic simplicity of design ensured that an item never went out of style. The simple lines of her clothing were appreciated generations of mothers.

Early features of her designs included classic lines, bright colors, handcrafted details and collars that framed the face. Within ten years, she had become the first designer of clothes for children to receive the Nieman Marcus award for her contribution to fashion. She was also featured in a major retrospective at the Milwaukie Art Museum in 1985.

Eventually she was forced to reduce her involvement due to ill health and Teri Shapiro, the head designer, took over. Teri learned through her years of working under her guidance that designs needed to be fresh and trendy without losing the iconic feel. Trends were important but following fads was not. This philosophy served the company well through the years and it managed to weather some ups and downs, coming out stronger than ever.

Over the years the range expanded to include swimwear, play clothes, and a line of knits, all in sizes ranging from infant to size 14 for girls and infant to size seven for boys. The range for babies grew to include many items like rompers made of cotton blends to keep them cool and comfortable. All items are made from quality fabrics and patterns include prints and stripes.

The clothing is still designed in Milwaukie and has been available for years at specialty stores. However, now mothers worldwide are able to dress their children in these clothes as they can be purchased from many online stores. One can examine the many different items on offer, searching according to size, color, type and gender.

This clothing is still noted for its attention to detail, including deep hemlines, French seams, and bound buttonholes. Items are lined and machine washable. Some of the items are reversible, including a multicolored seersucker dress and seersucker overalls with zoo animal appliques. There are floppy hats with floral and butterfly details to match.

The company continues to update its looks, combining its classic look with recent trends without ever responding to fads. The brand has weathered all the changes to clothing for children over the years and sales are still going strong. Their careful workmanship and enduring designs means Florence Eiseman clothes are often saved for siblings or cousins and passed down from generation to generation.




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