Anne Klein (fashion designer)

Anne Klein (born Hannah Golofsky; August 3, 1923 – March 19, 1974) was an American fashion designer, businesswoman, as well as a founder and the namesake of the Anne Klein & Company (owned by WHP Global as of July 2019).

She co-founded Anne Klein & Company in 1968 with Gunther Oppenheim, and within ten years, her designs were being sold in over 750 department stores and boutiques in the USA.

Her design career began in 1937, at the age of 14, when she was offered a scholarship to attend the Traphagen School of Fashion, which led to her first job as a sketcher for dress firms on 7th Avenue.

In 1948 she married clothing manufacturer Ben Klein, with whom she launched the Junior Sophisticates clothing line. Junior Sophisticates offered styles for younger women with smaller figures. Anne Klein was the principal designer there until 1960, when her marriage ended. In 1963, she married her second husband, Matthew "Chip" Rubinstein. Together, they founded Anne Klein & Company on 39th Street in 1968. She also opened the Anne Klein Studio on 57th Street. A large aspect of her brand is centered around the understanding of the average working women’s clothing needs, as well as women empowerment in the broader perspective.

Her journey was first recognized in 1954 with the Mademoiselle Merit Award, and further on, through numerous fashion awards and international recognition.

In 1967, she patented a girdle designed for the miniskirt.

In 1973, she was the only woman invited to participate in the Battle of Versailles, a competitive fashion show that pit five American designers against five French designers. The show was intended to raise money for the restoration of the Palace of Versailles

On March 19, 1974, Anne Klein died of breast cancer at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY.