LABELED GEOFFREY BEENE, PROBABLY 1970S/EARLY 1980S

Geoffery Beene (1924-2004) started his New York-based womenswear label in 1963, after leaving medical school at Tulane University in his native Louisiana. Studying in New York and Paris to perfect his designing and sewing, Beene worked for several Seventh Avenue dress companies before becoming renowned in his own right. His signature silhouettes, sophisticated and versatile, were fabricated in rich textures and tones with interiors as intricately lined as the exterior. Trim, tassels and clever layering added a characteristic playfulness to his practical ensembles. He was the recipient multiple times of the Coty American Fashion Critics’ Award, as well as several from the Council of Fashion Designers of America, the latter that now has an annual award named in Beene’s honor.

For more information on Iris Apfel's original designs, please see Lot 7.