James Galanos was born in Philadelphia, USA, in 1924. His family was originally from Naousa in Greece. After graduating from the Traphagen School of Fashion in New York in 1943, Galanos sold fashion sketches to several New York designers. He worked for some time for HATTIE CARNEGIE in New York. In 1944, he moved to Columbia Studios in California as an assistant to JEAN LOUIS the film costume designer.

In 1947, Galanos took up a one-year apprenticeship in Paris with PIGUET, returning to New York to work for Davidow, as a ready-to-wear designer. In 1951, he went back to California and in 1952 showed the first collection under his own name in Los Angeles. He also opened a showroom in New York. A buyer from Neiman Marcus discovered him, and claimed she had found a designer who would "set the world on fire."

From his headquarters in Los Angeles, he swiftly gained a reputation among American women for his precisely executed and clever clothes. He was acclaimed for the cut of his dresses, suits and coats, made up in European fabrics, but he was admired mostly for his evening wear and cocktail dresses.

James Galanos was awarded the prestigious Coty Fashion Award in 1954 and again in 1956. For the overall body of work, he was inducted into the Coty Hall of Fame in 1959. He received the Council of Fashion Designers of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1985.

In the 50's, he was one of the first designers to show the horseshoe neckline on suits and to pioneer bold prints for evening wear. During the 60's and 70's, he created slimline, classically draped evening dresses with billowing sleeves.

He frequently works with chiffon, printed silks, velvets, brocades and hand-painted silks and laces. He has used wool for evening wear and is known for low-backed, black wool crepe dresses.

Galanos was a critic at Parsons School of Design in New York from 1962 to 1968 and always helped out the fashion students with advice.

He had a reputation for exquisite workmanship which gained him the loyalty of the clients. He was an imaginative user of chiffon and intricate hand embroidery.

Nancy Reagan, wore the svelte Galanos gown shown on the left, in 1981 when her husband Ronald Reagan became President of the United States. He made both of her Inaugural Ball gowns as well as the two earlier gowns she wore as California's First Lady when Ronald Reagon was Governor. She wore many more of his dresses and said "you can wear one of Jimmy's dresses inside out, they are so beautifully made."

The simplicity of his designs is deceptive, he uses couture standards which sometimes makes his clothes expensive because he will not cut corners on quality. But it is certainly worthwhile.

In 1997 the Los Angeles County Museum of Arts documented his career in a retrospective film. Two retrospective exhibitions have been held in Los Angeles of the creations he has made.

He retired in 1998.

In the year 2000/2002, the city of New York decided to honour American fashion designers by placing bronze plaques along the pavement of 7th Avenue, the great street of fashion in New York. This has been called the "FASHION WALK OF FAME." James Galanos was one of those honoured, and here is a picture of his plaque.

PERFUMES

1979 Galanos (W)
1995 Galanos de Serene (W)

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Galanos: by Barry W. Bradley


AW 2002