Wednesday, January 09, 2013

Kane-Weill, New York Dress Manufacturer

Lloyd Weill on vacation in Boca Raton
Kane-Weill.  The name automatically brings to mind fabulous dresses from the 1950s.  There is very little information about the company available, but here are a few tidbits I've been able to find.

The Weill portion of the company name comes from owner Lloyd Weill.  I have not been able to find out if there was ever a Mr. Kane, but it makes sense that there would be.  The company was in existence as early as the 1940s and was still in business in the mid 1960s, though under a different name.

Lloyd Weill was known for his singing voice and would often offer up a few tunes before his fashion shows.  He was great friends with designer Herbert Sondheim. Weill and Sondheim's son Stephen would often pair up and entertain at parties with Lloyd singing accompanied by Stephen on the piano.

Kane-Weill dresses were often featured in full page ads in the high fashion magazines of the time, even though their garments had a lower price point than many that graced the pages of Vogue and Bazaar.

By 1958, the name of the company had changed to Lloyd Weill and they continued to make mid-priced but high quality dresses into the 60s.

If anyone has further information about the company, please leave a comment here or contact me directly.  Thank you!


1950

1952

1954

1955

1958, the name has changed to Lloyd Weill