Rudi Gernreich
(1922 - 1985) Austria - U.S.A.
Fashion designer
In 1938 at the age of 16, Gernreich and his mother arrived in Los Angeles, Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi oppression. A poor student, Gernreich fell in love with modern dance while working as an usher at a Martha Graham performance. He joined the Lester Horton company in 1942.
Gernreich's first real design success came with bold Pop Art-related fabric patterns and color combinations he created for Hoffman California Fabrics. Inventor of the women's topless bathing suit (monokini) in 1964, and co-founder of the Mattachine Society.
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